Geography

ACE SSC GENERAL AWARENESS
A Complete Guide on General Awareness

for SSC Examinations
that includes SSC CGL, CHSL/10+2,
CPO, MTS & other competetive examinations
1
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Chapter
1 Solar System
Our Sun (a star) and all the planets around it are part of a galaxy known as the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is
a large group of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The
Milky Way is a large barred spiral galaxy. The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System.
Earth solar system consists of:
• The Sun
• The Planets (8 Planets)
• Dwarf Planets such as Pluto, Ceres, Eris etc. & countless fragments of left – overs called asteroids, meteors,
comets & satellites of the planets (called small solar system Bodies).
Some Facts about Solar System

• Biggest Planet : Jupiter • Heaviest Planet : Jupiter
• Smallest Planet : Mercury • Red Planet : Mars
• Nearest Planet to Sun : Mercury • Biggest Satellite : Ganymede
• Farthest Planet from Sun : Neptune • Smallest Satellite : Deimos
• Nearest Planet to Earth : Venus • Blue Planet : Earth
• Brightest Planet : Venus • Morning/Evening Star : Venus
• Brightest star after Sun : Sirius • Earth's Twin : Venus
• Planet with maximum : Jupiter • Green Planet : Neptune
satellites • Planet with a big red spot : Jupiter
• Coldest Planet : Neptune • Greatest Diurnal Temperature : Mercury
• Hottest Planet : Venus
Earth Latitude & Longitude

Earth Latitude
• Imaginary lines drawn parallel to the equator. Measured as an angle whose apex is at the centre of the
earth.
• The equator represents 0° latitude, while the North Pole is 90° N & the South Pole 90° S.Equator is the
‘Greatest Circle’ that can be drawn on the earth’s surface.
• 23½° N represents Tropic of Cancer while 23½° S represents Tropic of Capricorn.
• 66½° N represents Arctic Circle while 66½° S represents Antarctic Circle.
• The distance between any two parallels of latitude is always equal.
• 1 degree latitude = 111km(approx.).
Earth Longitude
• The lines of longitude are drawn as a series of semicircles that extend from the North Pole to the South
Pole through the equator. They are also called meridi
• The distance between any two meridians is not equal.
• At the equator, 1 degree = 111 km. At 30°N or S, it is 96.5 km. It goes on decreasing this way until it is zero
at the poles.
• There are 360 meridians of longitude. The prime meridian is a longitude of 0°, passing through the Royal
Observatory at Greenwich near London.
• This meridian is taken by geographers to divide the earth into the eastern & the western hemispheres.
• Each meridian of longitude is a semi-circle. 180° meridian (International Date Line) lies exactly opposite to
0° meridian. Such points are called Antipodal Points.
The earth is divided into 24 longitudinal zones, each being 15° or 1 hour apart in time (4 minutes / degree).

Longitude & Time
• Places that are on the same meridian have the same local (sun) time. Since the earth makes one complete
revolution of 360° in 24 hours, it passes through 15° in one hour or 1° in 4 minutes.
• The earth rotates from west to east, hence places east of Greenwich see the sun earlier & gain time whereas
places west of Greenwich see the sun later & lose time.
• India, whose longitudinal extent is approx. 30°, has adopted only one time zone, selecting the 82.5°E for
the standard time which is 5 hours & 30 minutes ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
International Date Line

• It is the 180° meridian running over the Pacific Ocean, deviating at Aleutian Islands, Fiji, Samoa & Gilbert
Islands. It is a zig-zag line.
• Travelers crossing the Date Line from west to east (i.e., from Japan to USA) repeat a day & travelers crossing
it from east to west (i.e., from USA to Japan) lose a day.
Important Parallels of Latitude

1. The Tropic of Cancer : It is in the northern hemisphere at an angular distance of 23 1/2° (23°30’N) from
the equator.
2. The Tropic of Capricorn : It is in the southern hemisphere at an angular distance of 23 1/2° (23°30’S) from
the equator.
3. The Arctic Circle : It lies at a distance of 66 1/2° (66°30’N) north of the equator.
4. The Antarctic Circle : It lies at a distance of 66 1/2° (66°30’S) south of the equator. There are two solstices
each year, called the Summer Solstice & the Winter Solstice.
Summer Solstice: The day of 21st June when the sun is vertically overhead at the Tropic of Cancer
(23°30’N). Longest day in Northern Hemisphere.
Winter Solstice: The day of 22nd December when the sun is vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn
(23°30’S). Shortest Day in Northern Hemisphere.
Meridians of Longitude
The semi-circles running from pole to pole or from north to south are known as meridians of longitude &
distance between them is measured in degrees of longitude. Greenwich Meridian or Prime Meridian with a
value of 0° longitude serves as a common base for numbering meridians of longitude lying on either side of it
— east as well as west. There are 360 meridians including Prime Meridian. Each degree of a longitude is divided
into sixty equal parts, each part is called a minute. Each minute is again divided into sixty equal parts, each
part being called a second.
Local Time : Local time of any place is 12 noon when the sun is exactly overhead. It will vary from the
Greenwich time at the rate of four minutes for each degree of longitude.
Greenwich Mean Time : The time at 0° longitude is called Greenwich Mean Time. It is based on local time of
the meridian passing through Greenwich near London.
Indian Standard Time : It is fixed on the mean of 82 1/2°E Meridian, a place near Allahabad. It is 5 1/2hours
ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Facts about earth
• The Earth is also called Blue Planet. It is the densest of all planets.
• Earth Circumference: 40,232 Kilometers.
• Earth Area: 510 million square Kilometers

• Average distance from sun: 149 million Kilometers.
• Earth Perihelion: Nearest position of earth to sun. The earth reaches its perihelion on January 3 every year
at a distance of about 147 million-Kilometers.
• Aphelion: Farthest position of earth from sun. The earth reaches its aphelion on July 4, when the earth is
at a distance of 152 million Kilometers.
• The shape of the earth is oblate spheroid or oblate ellipsoid (i.e. almost spherical, flattened a little at the
poles with a slight bulge at the centre).
Types of Earth Movements:

1. Rotation or daily movement.
2. Revolution or annual movement.
Earth Rotation
• Earth spins on its imaginary axis from west to east in 23 hrs, 56 min & 40.91 sec.
• Rotational velocity at equator is 1667 Km/hr & it decreases towards the poles, where it is zero.
Earth’s rotation results in

i. Causation of days & nights;
ii. A difference of one hour between two meridians which are 15° apart;
iii. Change in the direction of wind & ocean currents; Rise & fall of tides everyday;
iv. The longest day in North Hemisphere is June 21, while shortest day is on 22 Dec (vice-versa in Southern
Hemisphere).
• Days & nights are almost equal at the equator.
Earth Revolution
• It is earth’s motion in elliptical orbit around the sun. Earth’s average orbital velocity is 29.79 Km/sec.
• Takes 365 days, 5 hrs, 48 min & 45.51 sec. It results in one extra day every fourth year.
Revolution of the earth results in

i. Change of seasons
ii. Variation in the lengths of days & nights at different times of the year
iii. Shifting of wind belts
iv. Determination of latitudes.
Earth Eclipses
Lunar Eclipse
∎ When earth comes between sun & moon.
∎ Occurs only on a full moon day. However, it does not occur on every full moon day because the moon is
so small & the plane of its orbit is tilted about 5° with respect to the plane of the earth’s orbit. It is for this
reason that eclipses do not occur every month.
∎ This light is red because the atmosphere scatters the other colors present in sunlight in greater amounts
than it does red.
Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse is a type of eclipse that occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun & Earth, & the Moon
fully or partially blocks the Sun. This can happen only at new moon.

Chapter
Interior Structure of the Earth
2
The uppermost layer of the earth’s crust which is capable of supporting life is called Lithosphere.
The earth's interior has three different layers; they are
(i) the crust (ii) mantle & (iii) the core.
(a) Earth's Crust:

All of the Earth's landform (mountains, plains, & plateaus) are contained within it, along with the oceans,
seas, lakes & rivers. The thickness of earth’s crust is about 30 km. There are two different types of crust:
thin oceanic crust that underlies the ocean basins & thicker continental crust that underlies the continents.
The boundary between the crust & the mantle is Mohorovicic Discontinuity.
(b) Earth's Mantle: It is the thick, dense rocky matter that surrounds the core with a radius of about 2900 km.
The mantle covers the majority of the Earth's volume. This is basically composed of silicate rock rich in iron
& magnesium. This layer is separated from the core by Gutenberg-Wiechert Discontinuity. The outer & the
inner mantle are separated by another discontinuity named Repetti discontinuity.
(c) Earth's Core: Earth's Core is composed mainly of an iron & nickel alloy. The thickness of core is about 3400
km.The core is made of two layers: the outer core, which borders the mantle, and the inner core.
EARTH QUAKES
(a) The sudden tremors or shaking of earth’s crust for a few second is called an earthquake.
(b) The point at the surface directly above the focus is called the earthquake epicentre.
(c) When the earth moves in an earthquake, it can cause waves in the ocean, & if a wave grows large enough,
it's called a "tsunami". Underwater earthquakes sometimes produce large waves called Tsunami.
(e) The magnitude of an earthquake & the intensity of shaking, is measured on a numerical scale called
Mercalli Scale. On the scale, 3 or less is scarcely noticeable, & magnitude 7 (or more) causes damage over a
wide area. The point of origin of earthquake is called Seismic focus. The point on the earth’s surface
vertically above the earth’s surface is called Epicentre.
(f) The passage of earthquake waves is recorded by Seismograph. The magnitude of waves is measured on
Richter’s scale. For measurement of the intensity of the earthquake (damage caused), the Modified Mercalli
Intensity Scale is used.
Distribution of Earthquakes
(a) Around the Pacific Ocean along a belt of volcanoes known as the Ring of Fire. Roughly 90% of all
earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.
(b) From the middle of Asia (Himalayas, Caspian Sea) through the Mediterranean Sea to West Indies.
(c) Mid-Atlantic ridge belt.
VOLCANOES
A volcano is an opening in Earth’s crust that allows molten rock from beneath the crust to reach the surface.
This molten rock is called magma when it is beneath the surface and lava when it erupts or flows from a
volcano. Along with lava, volcanoes also release gases, ash, and rock.
Types of Volcanoes
Geologists have classified five different types of volcanoes. This classification is based on the geomorphic form,
magma chemistry, & the explosiveness of the eruption. The least explosive type of volcano is called a basalt
plateau. These volcanoes produce a very fluid basaltic magma with horizontal flows. Deposits of these

volcanoes can be as thick as 1800 meters. Large basalt plateaus are found in the Columbia River Plateau,
western India, northern Australia, Iceland, Brazil, Argentina, & Antarctica. Some basaltic magmas can produce
very large slightly sloping volcanoes, 6 to 12°, that have gently flowing magmas called shield volcanoes Shield
volcanoes can be up to 9000 meters tall. The volcanoes of the Hawaiian Islands are typical of this type.
A cinder cone is a small volcano, between 100 & 400 meters tall, made up of exploded rock blasted out of a
central vent at a high velocity. These volcanoes develop from magma of basaltic to intermediate composition.
They form when large amounts of gas accumulate within rising magma. Examples of cider cones include Little
Lake Volcano in California & Paricuti Volcano in Mexico.
Composite volcanoes are made from alternate layers of lava flows & exploded rock. Their height ranges from
100 to 3500 meters tall. The chemistry of the magma of these volcanoes is quite variable ranging from basalt to
granite.
Magmas that are more granitic tend to be very explosive because of their relatively higher water content. Water
at high temperatures & pressures is extremely volatile. Examples of composite volcanoes include Italy's
Vesuvius, Japan's Mount Fuji, & Washington State's Mount Rainier & Mount St. Helens.
Classification on the basis of Periodicity of Eruptions:
Active Volcano:
Volcanoes which erupt periodically. E.g. Maona Loa in Hawaii, Etna in Sicily, Vesuvius in Italy, Stromboli in
Mediterranean Sea, etc.
Dormant Volcano:
Volcanoes which has been quiet for a long time but in which there is a possibility of eruption. E.g. Fujiyama in
Japan, Krakatoa in Indonesia, Barren island Volcano in Andamans, etc.
Extinct Volcano:
An extinct volcano is one which is no longer active and hasn't erupted in historical times. E.g. Mount Kilimjaro.
Distribution of Volcanoes in the World

About 15% of world’s active volcanoes are found along the ‘constructive or divergent’ plate margins, whereas
80% volcanoes are associated with the ‘destructive or convergent’ plate boundaries.
Earth Mountains
Mountains Types – Fold, Block, Volcanic Mountains
Types of Mountains
Fold Mountains: They are formed when the rocks of the crust of the earth folded under stress, mainly by forces
of compression (as a result of series of earthquakes). E.g. Himalayas, Alps, Andes, Rockies, Atlas, etc.
Block Mountains: Earth movements generate tensional forces that tend to pull the crust apart,and faults are
developed. If the block enclosed by faults remains as it is rises, and the land on either side subsides, the
upstanding block become the horst or block mountain. The Great African Rift Valley (valley floor is graben),
The Rhine Valley and the Vosges mountain in Europe are examples.
Volcanic Mountains: Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity.These are, in fact, volcanoes
which are built up from material ejected from fissures in the earth’s crust. The materials include molten lava,
volcanic bombs, cinders, ashes, dust and liquid mud.Volcanic mountains are often called mountains of
accumulation.They are common in the Circum-Pacific belt and include such volcanic peaks as Mt. Fuji (Japan)
Mt. Mayon (Philippines), Mt. Merapi (Sumatra) etc.

Plateau -Plateau are elevated uplands with extensive level surfaces, and usually descends steeply to the
surrounding lowland.
Types of plateau - Tectonic and Volcanic plateau.

Plain- A plain is a type of landform made up of a flat area that can exist in valleys, lowlands, on plateaus, or
uplands.
Types of plain- Structural Plain, Erosional Plain, Depositional plain, Glacial plain and Abyssal plain.
ROCKS & MINERALS
About 98 per cent of the total crust of the earth is composed of eight elements like oxygen, silicon, aluminium,
iron, calcium, sodium, potassium & magnesium, & the rest is constituted by titanium, hydrogen, phosphorous,
manganese, sulphur, carbon, nickel & other.
The three types of rocks are

(i) Igneous Rocks
1. Igneous rocks solidify from a liquid magma as it cools. When magma cools rapidly, mineral crystals do not
have time to grow very large. On the other hand when magma cools slowly crystals grow to several
millimeters or more in size.
Granite & basalt are the examples of IR. Igneous rocks are classified as
(a) Extrusive Rocks
Extrusive igneous rocks solidify from molten material that flows over the earth’s surface (lava).
Common extrusive rocks are
(i) basalt,
(ii) andesite, &
(iii) rhyolite.
(b) Intrusive Rocks
Intrusive rocks form from molten material (magma) that flows & solidifies underground.
Common rock types within the intrusive category are granite & diorite.
ii. Sedimentary Rocks
These are types of rocks created from deposition of layers upon layers of sediments over time. These types
of rocks are formed on the Earth's surface as well as underwater.
Examples – Sandstone, limestone, stromatolites, oil shale & coal shale, gypsum, shale, & conglomerate.
iii. Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are any rock type that has been altered by heat, pressure, and/or the chemical action
of fluids & gases. When igneous rocks, or sedimentary rocks, or even metamorphic rocks get buried very
deep under the earth's surface, a process that takes millions of years, they get changed into something else
by the enormous pressure & heat inside the earth.
Some examples of metamorphic rocks are:

• Limestone being changed into marble
• Shale turning into slate
• Granite being changed into gneiss
• Sandstone turning into quartzite.

Chapter
3 Atmosphere
Atmosphere is a thick gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth & extends thousands of kilometers above the
earth's surface. Much of the life on the earth exists because of the atmosphere otherwise the earth would have
been barren. Nitrogen & Oxygen comprise 99% of the total volume of the atmosphere.
Structure of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere consists of almost concentric layers of air with varying density & temperature.
(a) Troposphere:
• Lowest layer of the atmosphere.
• The height of troposphere is 16 km thick over the equator & 10 km thick at the poles.
• All weather phenomena are confined to troposphere (e.g. fog, cloud, frost, rainfall, storms, etc.)
• Temperature decreases with height in this layer roughly at the rate of 6.5° per 1000 metres, which is
called normal lapse rate.
• Upper limit of the troposphere is called tropopause which is about 1.5 km.
(b) Stratosphere:
• The stratosphere is more or less devoid of major weather phenomenon but there is circulation of feeble
winds & cirrus cloud in the lower stratosphere.
• Jet aircrafts fly through the lower stratosphere because it provides perfect flying conditions.
• Ozone layer lies within the stratosphere mostly at the altitude of 15 to 35 km above earth's surface.
• Ozone layer acts as a protective cover as it absorbs ultra-voilet rays of solar radiation.
• Depletion of ozone may result in rise of temperature of ground surface & lower atmosphere.
• Temperature rises from -60°C at the base of the stratosphere to its upper boundary as it absorbs ultra-
voilet rays.
• Upper limit of the Stratosphere is called stratopause.
(c) Mesosphere
• Mesosphere extends to the height of 50-90 km.
• Temperature decreases with height. It reaches a minimum of -80°C at an altitude of 80-90 km
• The upper limit is called mesopause.
(d) Thermosphere
• It lies at 80 km to 640 km above the earth's surface.
• It is also known as ionosphere.
• Temperature increases rapidly with increasing height.
• It is an electrically charged layer. This layer is produced due to interaction of solar radiation & the
chemicals present, thus disappears with the sunset.
• There are a number of layers in thermosphere e.g. D-layer, E-layer, F-layer & G-layer.
• Radio waves transmitted from earth are reflected back to the earth by these layers.
(e) Exosphere
• This is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere extending beyond the ionosphere.
• The density is very low & temperature becomes 5568°C.
• This layer merges with the outer space.
About Ionosphere
At heights of 80 km (50 miles), the gas is so thin that free electrons can exist for short periods of time before
they are captured by a nearby positive ion. This portion of the atmosphere is ionized & contains plasma which
is referred to as the ionosphere. The Ultraviolet (UV), X-Ray & shorter wavelengths of solar radiation ionizes
the atmosphere. The ionosphere is broken down into the D, E & F regions.

PRESSURE & WIND BELTS
Air pressure is thus defined as total weight of a mass of column of air above per unit area at sea level. The
amount of pressure exerted by air at a particular point is determined by temperature & density which is
measured as a force per unit area.
• Aneroid Barometer-It is the most common type barometer used in homes.
Pressure Belts of the World
(a) Equatorial Low Pressure Belt:

At the Equator heated air rises leaving a low-pressure area at the surface. This low pressure area is known
as equatorial low pressure. The zone shifts along with the northward or southward movement of sun
during summer solstice & winter solstice respectively. The pressure belt is thermally induced because the
ground surface gets heated during the day. Thus warm air expands, rises up & creates low pressure. They
are also called Doldrums. Extend 5° N & S to the equator.
(b) Sub-tropical High Pressure Belt:

The warm air risen up at the equator due to heating reaches the troposphere & bend towards the pole. Due
to coriollis force the air descends at 30-35º N & S latitude thus creates the belt of sub-tropical high pressure.
The pressure belt is dynamically induced as it owes its origin to the rotation of the earth & sinking & settling
of winds. This zone is characterized by anticyclonic conditions which cause atmospheric stability & aridity.
These pressure belts are called Horse latitudes.
(c) Temperate Low Pressure Belt:

This belt is located between 60-65 degrees N & S latitudes in both the hemisphere. This pressure belt is also
dynamically induced. The belt is more developed & regular in the southern hemisphere than the northern
due to over dominance of water in the former.
(d) Polar High Pressure Belt:

High pressure persists at the pole due to low temperature. Thus the Polar High Pressure Belt is thermally
induced as well as dynamically induced as the rotation of earth also plays a minor role.
Coriolis Force
The rotation of the Earth creates force, termed Coriolis force, which acts upon wind. Instead of wind blowing
directly from high to low pressure, the rotation of the Earth causes wind to be deflected off course. In the
Northern Hemisphere, wind is deflected to the right of its path, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is deflected
to the left. Coriolis force is absent at the equator, & its strength increases as one approaches either pole.
Furthermore, an increase in wind speed also results in a stronger Coriolis force & thus in greater deflection of
the wind.
Winds
When the movement of the air in the atmosphere is in a horizontal direction over the surface of the earth, it is
known as the wind. Movement of the wind is directly controlled by pressure. Horizontally, at the Earth's
surface wind always blows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure usually at speeds determined
by the rate of air pressure change between pressure belts.

TYPES OF WINDS
I. Planetary winds:
Planetary winds are major component of the general global circulation of air. These are known as planetary
winds because of their prevalence in the global scale throughout the year. Planetary winds occur due to
temperature & pressure variance throughout the world.
The planetary winds are discussed below:

(a) Trade winds
Winds blowing from the Subtropical High Pressure Belt or horse latitudes towards the Equatorial Low
Pressure Belt or the ITCZ are the trade winds. In the Northern Hemisphere, the trade winds blow from the
northeast & are known as the Northeast Trade Winds; in the Southern Hemisphere, the winds blow from
the southeast & are called the Southeast Trade Winds.
(b) Westerlies
The Westerlies are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 35º & 65º latitude, blowing from
the high pressure area in the Sub Tropical High Pressure Belt i.e. horse latitudes towards the sub polar low
pressure belt. The winds are predominantly from the south-west to north-east in the Northern Hemisphere
& from the north-west to south-east in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Westerlies are strongest in the winter season & times when the pressure is lower over the poles, while
they are weakest in the summer season & when pressures are higher over the poles. The Westerlies are
particularly strong, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, as there is less land in the middle latitudes to
obstruct the flow.
(c) Polar Wind

The winds blowing in the Arctic & the Antarctic latitudes are known as the Polar Winds. They have been
termed the 'Polar Easterlies', as they blow from the Polar High Pressure belt towards the Sub-Polar Low-
Pressure Belts. In the Northern Hemisphere, they blow in general from the north-east, & are called the
North-East Polar Winds; & in the Southern Hemisphere, they blow from the south-east & are called the
South- East Polar Winds. As these winds blow from the ice-capped landmass, they are extremely cold.
They are more regular in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.
II. Periodic Winds:

They change their direction periodically with change in season.
Land & sea breezes & monsoon winds are winds of a periodic type. Land & sea breezes occur daily, whereas
the occurrence of monsoon winds is seasonal. Following are periodic winds:
(a) Monsoon winds
(b) Land & Sea Breeze
(c) Mountain & Valley Breeze

(a) Monsoon Winds
Monsoons are regional scale wind systems that periodically change direction with the passing of the
seasons. Like land & sea breezes, these wind systems are created by the temperature contrasts that exist
between the surfaces of land & ocean.
(b) Land & Sea Breezes:

A land breeze is created when the land is cooler than the water such as at night & the surface winds
have to be very light. When this happens the air over the water slowly begins to rise, as the air begins
to rise, the air over the surface of the ocean has to be replaced, this is done by drawing the air from the
land over the water, thus creating a sea breeze.
A sea breeze is created when the surface of the land is heated sufficiently to start rising of the air. As
air rises, it is replaced by air from the sea; created a sea breeze. Sea breezes tend to be much stronger &
can produce gusty winds as the sun can heat the land to very warm temperatures, thereby creating a
significant temperature contrast to the water.
(c) Mountain & Valley winds:

Mountain-valley breezes are formed by the daily difference of the thermo effects between peaks &
valleys. In daytime, the mountainside is directly heated by the sun, the temperature is higher, air
expands, air pressure reduces, & therefore air will rise up the mountainside from the valley & generate
a valley breeze.
Anabatic & Katabatic winds - Anabatic Winds are upslope winds driven by warmer surface
temperatures on a mountain slope than the surrounding air column. Katabatic winds are downslope
winds created when the mountain surface is colder than the surrounding air and creates a down slope
wind.
III. Local Winds

These local winds blow in the various region of the world.
Hot Winds
Sirocco - Sahara Desert
Leveche - Spain
Khamsin - Egypt
Harmattan - Sahara Desert
Santa Ana - USA
Zonda - Argentina
Brick fielder – Australia
Loo – India
Cold Winds
Mistral - Spain & France
Bora - Adriatic coast
Pampero - Argentina
Buran - Siberia
JET-STREAMS
The JET STREAMS located in the upper troposphere (9 - 14 km) are bands of high speed winds (95-190 km/hr).
The term was introduced in 1947 by Carl Gustaf Rossby. Average speed is very high with a lower limit of about
120 km per hours in winter & 50 km per hours in summer. The two most important types of jet streams are the
Polar Jet Streams & the Subtropical Jet Streams.

ELNINO & LANINA - El Nino is a naturally occurring phenomenon characterized by the abnormal warming
of sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. La Nina is a climate pattern that
describes the cooling of surface ocean waters along the tropical west coast of South America.
CYCLONES
Cyclones are well developed low-pressure systems surrounded by closed isobars having increasing pressure
outside & closed air circulation towards the centre such that the air blows inward in anticlockwise direction in
the northern hemisphere & clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
A. Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones are intense cyclonic storms that develop over the warm oceans of the tropics. Surface
atmospheric pressure in the centre of tropical cyclones tends to be extremely low.
The main characteristics of tropical cyclones are:-
• Have winds that exceed 34 knots (39 miles/hr)
• Blow clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
• Blow Counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere
This is one of the most devastating natural calamities. They are known as Cyclones in the Indian Ocean,
Hurricanes in the Atlantic, Typhoons in the Western Pacific & South China Sea, & Willy-Willies in the Western
Australia.
B. Temperate cyclones
The systems developing in the mid & high latitude, beyond the tropics are called the middle latitude or
temperate cyclones.
Extra tropical cyclones form along the polar front. Two air masses of contrasting physical properties: one
air mass is polar in character & is cold, denser & north-easterly in direction while the other air mass is
tropical in origin & is warm, moist, lighter & south westerly in direction.
An anticyclone is a region of high atmospheric pressure related to the surrounding air, generally thousands
of kilometre in diameter & also known as a high or high-pressure system. Winds in an anticyclone form a
clockwise out-spiral in the Northern Hemisphere; whereas they form an anti-clockwise out-spiral in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Chapter
4 Oceanography
OCEANOGRAPHY
The study of physical and biological aspects of the ocean is called Oceanography. It reveals that the sea floor is
not a flat area. It consists of mountains, plateaus, plains & trenches etc.
Some major submarine features are described below.
(a) Continental Shelf

(1) The portion of the land which is submerged under sea water is continental shelf.
(2) The continental shelf is shallow & its depth is not more than 200 metres.
(3) In all about 7.5 percent of total area of the oceans is covered by the continental shelves.
The shelves are of great use to man because:
1. Marine food comes almost entirely from them.
2. About 20 percent of oil & gas of the world is extracted from them.
3. They are the sites of productive fishing grounds.
(b) Continental Slope

It is an area of steep slope extending just after the continental shelf up to a considerable depth from where
a gentle sea plain takes its form. The extent of the slope area is usually between 200-2000 m. But sometimes
it may extend to 3660 metre from the mean sea level. The continental slope along many coasts of the world
is followed by deep canyon like trenches terminating as fan shaped deposits at the base. Continental slope
covers 8.5 percent of the total ocean area.
(c) Continental Rise

The gently sloping surface at the base of the continental slope is called continental rise. It may extend to
hundreds of km into the deep ocean basin.
(d) Deep Ocean Basins
It is the portion of sea floor that lies between the continental margin & the oceanic ridge system. It contains
deep-ocean trenches, abyssal plains, & broad volcanic peaks called sea mounts.
I. Deep-Ocean Trenches:
These are long, narrow features that form the deepest parts of the ocean. Most trenches are located in the
Pacific Ocean. They may reach 10,000 m deep. Mariana trench is about 11,000 m below sea level in Pacific
Ocean.
II. Abyssal Plains:
These are the most level places on Earth. The abyssal plains may have less than 3 m of relief over a distance
that may exceed 1300 km. Scientists determined that abyssal plains low relief is due to the fact that thick
accumulations of sediment, transported by turbidity currents, have buried rugged ocean floor.
III. Sea mounts:
It is an isolated volcanic peak that rises at least 1000 m (3300 ft) above the deep-ocean floor. They are more
extensive in the Pacific Ocean, where subduction zones are common. These undersea volcanoes form near
oceanic ridges (regions of seafloor spreading). Some of these volcanoes may emerge as an island.
(e) Submarine Canyons
These are depressions with walls of steep slopes & have a V shape. They exist on the continental slopes &
the shelves. They are found to have a length of 16 km at the maximum.

OCEAN CURRENTS
Ocean currents are large masses of surface water that circulate in regular patterns around the oce Those that
flow from equatorial regions polewards have a higher surface temperature & are called warm currents. Those
that flow from polar regions equatorwards have a lower surface temperature & are called cold currents.
Factors affecting Ocean Current
1. The planetary winds.
2. Temperatures.
3. Salinity.
4. The earth’s rotation.
5. Land.
THE CIRCULATION OF OCEAN CURRENTS
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN CIRCULATION
At the ‘shoulder’ of north-east Brazil, the protruding lands mass splits the South Equatorial Current into the
Cayenne Current which flows along the Guiana coast, & the Brazilian Current which flows southwards along
the east coast of Brazil.
Part of the current enters the Gulf of Mexico & emerges from the Florida Strait between Florida & Cuba as the
Florida Current. The rest of the equatorial water flows northwards east of the Antilles to join the Gulf Stream
off the south-eastern U.S.A. The Gulf Stream Drift is one of the strongest ocean currents & hugs the coast of
America as far as Cape Hatteras (latitude 350N), where it is deflected eastwards under the combined influence
of the Westerlies & the rotation of the earth. It reaches Europe as the North Atlantic Drift.
The cold Labrador Current drift southeastwards between West Greenland & Baffin Island to meet the warm
Gulf Stream off Newfoundland. On reaching the west coast of Africa the current is diverted northwards as the
cold Benguela Current (the counterpart of the Canaries Current).
THE PACIFIC OCEAN CIRUCLATION
The North- East Trade Winds blow the North Equatorial Current off the coasts of the Philippines & Formosa
into the East China Sea as the Kuroshio or Japan current. The cold Bering Current or Alaskan Current creeps
southwards from the narrow Bering Strait & is joined by Okhotsk Current to meet the warm Japan Current as
the Oyashio, off Hokkaido. The South Equatorial Current, driven by the South-East Trade winds, flows
southwards along the coast of Queensland as the East Australian Current. Obstructed by the tip of southern
Chile, the current turns northwards along the western coast of South America as the cold Humboldt or
Peruvian Current.
THE INDIAN OCEAN CIRCULATION
The currents of South Indian Ocean form a circuit. The Equatorial Current, turning southwards past
Madagascar as the Agulhas or Mozambique Current merges with the West Wind Drift, flowing eastwards &
turns equator-wards as the West Australian Current. In the North Indian Ocean, there is a complete reversal of
the direction of currents between summer & winter, due to the changes of monsoon winds. In summer from
June to October, when the dominant wind is the South-West Monsoon, the currents are blown from a south-
westerly direction as the South- West Monsoon Drift. This is reversed in winter; Monsoon blows the currents
from the north-east as the North-East Monsoon Drift. The currents of the North Indian Ocean, demonstrate
most convincingly the dominant effects of winds on the circulation of ocean currents.
OCEANS
Arctic Ocean- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oce The Northwest Passage (US & Canada)
& Northern Sea Route (Norway & Russia) are two important seasonal waterways.
It is a body of water between Europe, Asia, & North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle.
Lowest point: Fram Basin (Now known as Nansen Basin).
Atlantic Ocean- The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oce The Kiel Canal (Germany),
Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), & the Saint Lawrence
Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways.

It is a body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, & the Western Hemisphere. It
includes includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico,
Mediterranean Sea, & other tributary water bodies. Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oce
Lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench.
Indian Ocean - The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oce Four critically important access
waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab-el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), &
Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). It is a body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, &
Australia. It includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java
Sea, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, & other tributary water bodies.
Lowest point: Java Trench
Pacific Ocean - The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oce Strategically important access
waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, & Torres Straits.
It is body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, & the Western Hemisphere. It includes Bali
Sea, Bering Sea, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, Tasman
Sea, & other tributary water bodies.
Lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench.
Southern Ocean- The Southern Ocean is also called Antarctic Ocean. It is the fifth-largest drainage basin in the
world by basin area (14,000,000 sq. km).
TIDES
The tide is the periodic rise & fall of the sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces
exerted by the Moon & Sun & rotation of the earth. Most places in the ocean usually experience two high tides
& two low tides each day (semidiurnal tide), but some locations experience only one high & one low tide each
day (diurnal tide). The times & amplitude of the tides at the coast are influenced by the alignment of the Sun &
Moon, by the depth of the ocean, & by the shape of the coastline & near-shore bathymetry.
Causes of Tides
• Gravitational attraction between moon & the earth.
• Gravitational attraction between sun & the earth.
• Attraction force of the earth towards earth centre.
• Moon is mainly responsible for the tides.
Types of Tides
• Semi diurnal tides - Recur at the intervals of 12½ hours.
• Diurnal Tides - Recur at the intervals of 24½ hours.
• Spring Tides - once a fortnight, due to the revolution of the moon & its declination.
• Neap tides - Once a fortnight due to the revolution & declination of moon.
• Monthly tides - Due to the revolution of the moon & its position at Perigee & Apogee.
SPRING TIDES
Spring tides are especially strong tides or high tides. They occur when the Earth, the Sun, & the Moon are in a
line. The gravitational forces of the Moon & the Sun both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the
full moon & the new moon.
NEAP TIDES
Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon & the Sun are
perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons. The Bay of
Fundy between Nova Scotia & New Brunswick in Canada experiences the world's greatest tidal range of 50
feet (15.25 meters).

Chapter
5 Physiograhic Division of India

The Himalayas
Means ‘Abode of Snow’. They are one of the youngest fold mountain ranges in the world & comprise mainly
sedimentary rocks. They stretch from the Indus River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east. The
Eastern Himalayas-made up of Patkai Hills, Naga Hills, Mizo Hills & the Garo, Khasi & Jaintia Hills-are also
known as Purvanchal.
The Pamir, popularly known as the Roof of the World, is the connecting link between the Himalayas & the high
ranges of Central Asia.
Can be divided into 3 parallel or longitudinal zones, each with separate features.
THE GREAT HIMALAYAS OR THE HIMADRI

There are few passes & almost all of them have a height above 4,500 m. They include Shipki La & Bara Lapcha
La in Himachal Pradesh, Burzil & Zoji La in Kashmir, Niti, Lipulekh & Thang La in Uttarankhand, & Jelep La
& Nathu La in Sikkim.
Average elevation extends upto 6000m & some of the world’s highest peaks are here :
Mt Everest (or Sagarmatha or Chomo Langma) 8848 m (in Nepal)

Mt Kanchenjunqa 8598 m (in India)
Mt Makalu 8481 m (in Nepal)
Mt Dhaulagiri 81 72 m (in Nepal)
Mt Cho Oyu 8153m (in Nepal)
Mt Nanga Parbat 8126m (in India)
Mt Annapurna 8078 m (in Nepal)
Mt Nanda Devi 7817 m (in India)
LESSER HIMALAYAS OR THE HIMACHAL
Average height of mountains is 3700 – 4500 m.

Mountains & valleys are disposed in all direction (mountains rising to 5000 m & the valleys touching 1000 m).
Its important ranges are : Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal, Nag Tibba, Mussoorie.
Outer Himalayas or The Shiwaliks
Lowest range (average elevation is 900-1200 m).

Forms the foothills & lies between the Lesser Himalayas & the plains.
TRANS – HIMALAYAN ZONE

This range lies to the north of the Great Himalayas. It has some important ranges like Karakoram, Laddakh,
Zanskar, etc. The highest peak in this region is K2 or Godwin Austin (8611m, in Pak occupied Kashmir). Other
high peaks are Hidden Peak (8068 m), Broad Peak (8047 m) & Gasherbrum II (8035 m).
The longest glacier is Siachin in the Nubra valley, which is more than 72 km long (biggest glacier in the world).
Biafo, Baltaro, Batura, Hispar are the other important glaciers in this region. This area is the largest snow-field
outside the Polar Regions.

IMPORTANT FACTS
⇒ Uttar Pradesh borders the maximum number of States-8(Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar). After UP is Assam, which touches the border
of 7 States.
⇒ Tropic of Cancer passes through 8 States : Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram.
⇒ Indian Standard Meridian passes through 5 States : Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Orissa, Andhra Pradesh.
⇒ 10 States form the coast of India. They are : Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa & West Bengal.
⇒ 2 Union Territories, viz. Daman & Diu & Pondicherry are also on the coast.
⇒ The Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands & Lakshadweep are made up of islands only.

Chapter
6 Drainage System
To the south of the Himalayas & to the north of the Peninsula lies the great plains of North India. They are
formed by the depositional works of three major river systems, Indus, Ganga & Brahmaputra. The vast plains
of north India are alluvial in nature & the westernmost portion is occupied by the Thar Desert.
The thickness of the alluvium is maximum in the Ganga plains & minimum in the Western Plains.
The plains consist of four divisions:
Bhabar : Along the foothills of Shiwaliks. Highly porous and small streams known as Chos and Raos disappear.
Tarai : Re-emergence of streams. Zone of excessive dampness – South of Bhabar.
Bhangar : Older alluvial plains, contain calcareous formations called ‘kankar’. Also exihibit small tracts of
saline and alkaline efflorescences known as Reh, Kallar or Thur.
Khadar : New alluvium & forms the flood plains along the river banks. Also called Bet lands.
Delta Plains : It is extension of Khadar land. Consists mainly of old mud, new mud and marsh. The uplands
are called Chars while marshy areas are known as Bils.
PENINSULAR PLATEAU OF INDIA

Spreads south of the Indo-Gangetic plains flanked by sea on three sides. This plateau is shaped like a triangle
with its base in the north. The Eastern Ghats & the Western Ghats constitute its eastern & western boundaries,
respectively.
⇒ Narmada, which flows through a rift valley, divides the region into two parts: The Malwa Plateau in the
north & the Deccan Plateau in the south.
⇒ Vindhya Plateau is situated south of Malwa plateau.
⇒ Chhota Nagpur Plateau lies to the west of Bengal basin, the largest & most typical part of which is the
Ranchi plateau.
⇒ The Deccan Plateau is the largest plateau in India. It is made up of lava flows in the Cretaceous-Eocene era
through the fissure eruptions.
ISLANDS OF INDIA
Total coastline of India: 7516 km. Longest coastline: Gujarat (Second longest is of Andhra Pradesh).
The Andaman & Nicobar Group

Andaman and Nicobar is a group of 572 islands of which the largest is Middle Andaman. The Andaman are
believed to be extensions of mountains system in the N.E. part of the country
addle Peak (737 m) in North Andaman is the highest peak.
Volcanic Islands: Barren & Narcondam Islands. Barren is in the process of eruption these days after lying
dormant for 200 years.
The Arabian Sea Group

All the islands in the Arabian Sea are coral islands & are surrounded by Fringing Reefs (North : Lakshadweep,
South: Minicoy).
DO YOU KNOW?
Ten Degree Channel separates Andaman from Nicobar (Little Andaman from Car Nicobar)
Duncan Passage lies between South Andaman & Little Andaman.
Nine Degree Channel separates Kavaratti from Minicoy Island.
Eight Degree Channel separates Minicoy Island (India) from Maldives.

RIVERS OF INDIA
In India, the rivers can be divided into two main groups:
Himalayan Rivers-1) Indus 2) Ganga 3) Brahmputra
Peninsular Rivers-1) East flowing 2) West flowing
HIMALAYAN RIVERS OF INDIA

THE INDUS SYSTEM
It has a total length of 2880 km (709 km in India). Rises in Tibet (China) near Mansarovar Lake. In Jammu &
Kashmir, its Himalayan tributaries are: Zanskar, Dras, Gartang, Shyok, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit, etc. Its most
important tributaries, which join Indus at various places, are: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas & Satluj.
Sources: Jhelum from Verinag (SE Kashmir), Ravi from Kullu Hills near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh,
Beas from a place near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh & Satluj from Mansarovar– Rakas lakes in W. Tibet,
Chenab-near Bara Lacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh
THE GANGA SYSTEM

It is 2525 km long of which 1450 km is in Uttarakhand & UP, 445 km in Bihar & 520 km in West Bengal. The
Ganga, the head stream is constituted of two main rivers – Bhagirthi & Alaknanda, which combine at
Devprayag to form Ganga.
Sources: Bhagirathi from Gaumukh, Alaknanda from Badrinath, Mandakini from Kedarnath (all from
Uttarakhand). Yamuna (1375 km) is its most important tributary (on right bank). It rises at the Yamunotri
glacier in Uttarakhand. It runs parallel to Ganga for 800km & joins it at Allahabad. Important tributaries of
Yamuna are Chambal, Betwa (480 km) & Ken (all from south).
Apart from Yamuna, other tributaries of Ganga are Ghaghra (1080 km), Son (780 km), Gandak (425 km), Kosi
(730 km), Gomti (805 km), Damodar (541 km). Kosi is infamous as ‘Sorrow of Bihar’, while Damodar gets the
name ‘Sorrow of Bengal’ as these cause floods in these regions. Hooghli is a distributory of Ganga flowing
through Kolkata.
THE BRAHMAPUTRA SYSTEM

It has a total length of 2900 km. It rises in Tibet (from Chemayungdung glacier), where it is called Tsangpo, &
enters the Indian territory (in Arunachal Pradesh) under the name Dihang. Important Tributaries: Subansiri,
Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas, Teesta. In Bangladesh, Brahmaputra is known by the name of Jamuna while Ganga
gets the name Padma. Meghna is the most important distributory before it enters the Bay of Bengal.
The combined stream of Ganga & Brahmaputra forms the biggest delta in the world, the Sundarbans, covering
an area of 58,752 sq. km. Its major part is in Bangladesh.
Majuli island on Brahamaputra in Assam, is the biggest river island in the world.
Brahmaputra, or the Red River, is navigable for a distance of 1384 km up to Dibrugarh & serves as an excellent
inland water transport route.
RIVERS OF THE PENINSULA IN INDIA
A. EAST FLOWING RIVERS OF INDIA (OR DELTA FORMING RIVERS)

Mahanadi River (885 km) : Rises in Raipur district in Chhatisgarh. Hirakud dam is on Mahanadi river.
Godavari River (1465 km) : Also called Vriddha Ganga or Dakshina Ganga. It is the longest peninsular river.
Rises in Nasik. Main tributaries: Manjira, Penganga, Wardha, Indravati, Wainganga, etc.

Krishna River (1327 km): Rises in Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar. Main tributaries: Koyna, Dudhganga,
Panchganga, Malprabha, Bhima, Tungabhadra, etc.
Cauvery River (805 km): It is the largest peninsular river (maximum amount of water). Infact, it is the only
peninsular river which flows almost throughout the year. It rises from the Brahmagir range of Western Ghats.
Main tributaries: Hemavati, Lokpawni, Shimsa.
Subernrekha River (395 km) & Brahmani (705 km) : Rises from Ranchi Plateau.
B. WEST FLOWING RIVERS IN INDIA

Narmada River (1312 km) : Rises in Amarkantak Plateau & flows into Gulf of Khambat and form estuary. It
forms the famous Dhuan Dhar Falls near Jabalpur. Main tributaries: Hiran, Burhner, Banjar, Sher, Shakkar,
Tawa, etc.
Tapti River (724 km) : Rises from Betul district in Maharashtra. Also known as twin or handmaid of
Narmada. Main tributaries: Purna, Betul, Arunavati, Ganjal, etc
abarmati River (416 km) : Rises from Aravallis in Rajasthan.
Mahi River (560 km) : Rises from Vindhyas in Maharashtra.
Luni River (450 km) : Rises from Aravallis. Also called Salt River. It is finally lost in the marshy grounds at
the head of the Rann of Kuchchh
haravati is a west flowing river of the Sahyadris. It forms the famous Jog or Gersoppa or Mahatma Gandhi Falls
(289 m), which is the one of the highest waterfall in India.
Note:
⇒ The largest man-made lake in India is Indira Sagar Lake, which is the reservoir on Indira Sagar Dam on
Narmada Sardar Sarovar Project, Omkareshwar Project & Maheshwar Project in Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh.
⇒ Chilka Lake (Orissa) is the largest brackish water lake of India. Otherwise also, it is the largest lake of India.
⇒ Wular Lake (J & K) is the largest fresh water lake of India. Dal Lake is situated in J & K.
⇒ From Sambhar & Didwana Lake (Rajasthan), salt is produced. Other important lakes are Vembanad in
Kerala & Kolleru & Pulicat in Andhra Pradesh.
The three important Gulfs in the Indian Territory are:

Gulf of Kachchh (west of Gujarat): Region with highest potential of tidal energy generation.
Gulf of Cambay or Gulf of Khambat (Gujarat): Narmada, Tapti, Mahi & Sabarmati drain into it.
Gulf of Mannar (south east of Tamil Nadu): Asia’s first marine biosphere reserve.
IMPORTANT RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS IN INDIA
• Bhakhra Nangal Project: On Satluj in Punjab. Highest in India. Height 226 m. Reservoir is called Gobind
Sagar Lake.
• Mandi Project: On Beas in Himachal Pradesh.
• Chambal Valley Project: On Chambal in Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan. 3 dams are there under this project:
Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap sagar Dam & Jawahar Sagar dam.
• Damodar Valley Project: On Damodar in Bihar.
• Hirakud: On Mahanadi in Orissa. World's longest dam: 4801 m.
• Rihand : On Son(river) in Mirzapur. Reservoir is called Govind Vallabh Pant reservoir.
• Mayurkashi Project : On Mayurkashi in West Bengal.
• Kakrapara Project : On Tapi in Gujarat.
• Nizamsagar Project: On Manjra in Andhra Pradesh.

• Nagarjuna Sagar Project : On Krishna in Andhra Pradesh.
• Shivasamudram Project: On Cauvery in Karnataka.
• Tata Hydel Scheme : On Bhima in Maharashtra.
• Sharavathi Hydel Project : On Jog Falls in Karnataka.
• Kundah & Periyar Project - On Bhawani and Periyar river respectively in Tamil Nadu.
• Farakka Project: On Ganga in West Bengal. Apart from power & irrigation it helps to remove silt for easy
navigation.
• Ukai Project : On Tapti in Gujarat.
• Salal Project : On Chenab in J & K.
• Mata Tila Multipurpose Project : On Betwa in U.P & M.P.
• Thein Project : On Ravi, Punjab.
• Pong Dam : On Beas, Punjab.

Chapter
7 Climate
Climate of INDIA
India has tropical monsoon type of climate.
CLIMATE SEASONS IN INDIA

In India, the year can be divided into four seasons, resulting from the monsoons which occur mainly due to the
differential heating of land & movement of the sun’s vertical rays.
The highest temperature experienced in South is in April while in North it is in May & June. NORWESTERS
‘Cherry Blossoms’ are there in Karnataka, beneficial to coffee plantation & ‘Mango showers’ in elsewhere
South India, which are beneficial to mango crops.
The south – west monsoon enters the country in two currents, one blowing over the Bay of Bengal & the other
over the Arabian Sea. This monsoon causes rainfall over most of the country (except Tamil Nadu & Thar Desert
area).
The Bay of Bengal branch after crossing the deltaic region enters the Khasi valley in Meghalaya & gets
entrapped in it due to funnel shape of the region. It strikes Cherrapunji in a perpendicular direction causing
heavies rainfall in Mausryam (Approx. 1400 cm). From mid-Sept to mid-Dec, the monsoon retreats. As the sun’s
vertical rays start shifting towards the Tropic of Capricorn, the low pressure area starts moving south & winds
finally start blowing from land to sea. This is called north-east monsoon. The withdrawal of monsoon is a much
more gradual process than its onset. It causes rainfall in Tamil Nadu as the winds pick some moisture from Bay
of Bengal. This explains the phenomenon why Tamil Nadu remains dry when the entire country receives rain
& why it gets rain when practically the entire country is dry.
CLIMATIC REGIONS OF INDIA

India can be divided into a number of climatic regions.
Tropical Rainy Climate: Found in the west coastal plains, the Western Ghats & parts of Assam. Characterised
by high temperatures throughout the year. Rainfall, though seasonal, is heavy- about 200 cm annually during
May-November.
Tropical Savanna Climate : In most of the peninsula region except the semi-arid zone in the leeward side of
the Western Ghats. It is characterized by long dry weather throughout winter & early summer & high
temperature (above 18.2 Deg.c); annual rainfall varies from 76 cm in the west to 150 cm in the east.
Tropical Semi-Arid Steppe Climate : It prevails in the rain-shadow belt running southward from Central
Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu in the leeward side of the Western Ghats & the Cardamom Hills. It is characterized
by low rainfall which varies from 38 cm to 80 cm, high temperature between 20 & 30 degree.
Tropical & Subtropical Steppes : Large areas in Punjab, Haryana & Kutch region. Temperature varies from
12-35 Deg. c. The maximum temperature reaches up to 49 Deg.c. The annual rainfall, varying from 30.5-63.5
cm, is also highly erratic.

Tropical desert : This climate extends over the western parts of Banner, Jaisalmer & Bikaner districts of
Rajasthan & parts of Kutch. It is characterized by scanty rainfall (30.5 cm), which is highly erratic. Rains are
mostly in the form of cloud-burst. Mean monthly temperature is uniformly high (about 35c).
Humid Subtropical Climate with Dry Winters : This area includes south of the Himalayas, east of the tropical
& subtropical steppes & north of tropical savannah. Winters are mild to severe while summers are extremely
hot. The annual rainfall varies from 63.5 cm to more than 254 cm, most of it received during the south west
monsoon season.
Mountain Climate : Such type of climate is seen in mountainous regions which rise above 6,000 m or more
such as the Himalayas & the Karakoram Range.
Factors Affecting India’s Climate
Latitude: The Indian landmass is equally divided by The Tropic of Cancer. Hence, half of India has tropical
climate & another half has subtropical climate.
Altitude: While the average elevation in the coastal areas is about 30 metre, the average elevation in the north
is about 6,000 metre. The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from Central Asia from entering the Indian
subcontinent. Due to this, the subcontinent gets comparatively milder winters as compared to Central Asia.
Pressure & Winds: The Indian subcontinent lies in the region of north-easterly winds. These winds originate
from the subtropical high-pressure belt of the northern hemisphere. After that, these winds blow towards
south. They get deflected to the right due to the Coriolis force & then move towards the low pressure area near
the equator.

Chapter
8 Soil
1. Alluvial Soil:
In India it covers about 40 per cent of the total land area. It is very fertile & contributes the largest share of
agricultural wealth. Found mostly in the Northern Plains, starting from Punjab in the west to West Bengal
& Assam in the east. The northern parts & the coastal areas of Gujarat also have some deposits of alluvial
soil. The fine particles of sand, silt & clay are called alluvium.
The alluvial soil can be divided into
a. Old alluvium, called bhangar.
b. New alluvium, called khadar.
Alluvial soil is most suited to irrigation & can produce bumper crops of rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, tobacco,
cotton, jute, oilseeds, etc.
2. Black Soil:
The black soil is locally called regur, a word derived from Telugu word ‘reguda’. It is also called the Black
Cotton Soil, as cotton is the most important crop grown in this soil. The black soil is mostly found in the
Deccan Trap, covering large areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat & western Madhya Pradesh. The black soil is
well-known for its capacity to hold moisture. Black soil is widely used for producing cotton, wheat, linseed,
millets, tobacco & oilseeds.
3. Red Soil:
The red soil occupies about 18 per cent area of India, mostly in the south-eastern part of the Peninsular
India. The red soil is found in Tamil Nadu, parts of Karnataka, southeast Maharashtra, eastern parts of
Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa & Jharkhand. The red colour is due to the high percentage of
iron contents. This soil is rich in potash, but poor in lime, phosphate, nitrogen & humus. Red soils can give
excellent yields of cotton, wheat, rice, pulses, millet, tobacco, oilseeds, etc.
4. Laterite Soil:
The word ‘laterite’ has been derived from a Latin word meaning ‘brick’. It is mainly found on the summits
of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Rajmahal Hills, Vindhyas, Satpuras & Malwa plateau. It is well-
developed in southern Maharashtra, & parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Bihar, Assam & Meghalaya. Such climatic conditions promote leaching of soil. Leaching is a process in
which heavy rains wash away the fertile part of the soil.
The laterite soil is red in colour & composed of little clay & much gravel of red sandstones.
Due to intensive leaching, the laterite soil generally lacks fertility & is of low value for crop production. But
when manured & timely irrigated, the soil is suitable for producing plantation crops like tea, coffee, rubber,
coconut, arecanut, etc.
5. Mountain Soil:
The mountain soil is generally found on the hill slopes covered with forests. This soil is also found in the
Western & Eastern Ghats & in some parts of the Peninsular India. This soil is rich in humus, but poor in
potash, phosphorus & lime.
In the Himalayan region wheat, maize, barley & temperate fruits are grown on this soil. This soil is
especially suitable for producing plantation crops, such as tea, coffee, spices & tropical fruits in Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu & Kerala.
6. Desert Soil:
The desert soil is found mostly in the arid & semi-arid regions, receiving less than 50 cm of annual
rainfall. Such regions are mostly found in Rajasthan & the adjoining areas of Haryana & Punjab.
The Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is an extension of this region. The desert soil has sand (90 to 95 per cent)
& clay (5 to 10 per cent). Desert soil can produce a variety of crops, such as wheat, millet, barley, maize,
pulses, cotton, etc.

Chapter
9 Natural Vegetation
Natural Vegetation In India
Tropical Evergreen Forests-In areas over 250 cm rainfall. In Western Ghats, hilly areas in N.E. India &
Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Trees are rosewood, shisham, ebony, ironwood, etc.
Tropical Deciduous Forests-In areas having rainfall between 100 – 200 cm. In peninsular region & along the
foothills of Himalayas in Shivaliks, Bhabhar & Tarai. The trees of these forests drop their leaves for about 6-8
weeks during the spring & early summer when sufficient moisture isn’t available. Trees are teak, sal, bamboo,
sandalwood, rosewood, etc.
Tropical Thorny Forests-In areas having rainfall between 25 & 80 cm. In arid regions of Rajasthan, Punjab,
Haryana & Gujarat. Trees are palm, acacia, etc.
Alpine and Sub-alpine Forest-In hills of Southern India & the Himalayas. The type of trees depends upon the
height of the mountain : Sal & bamboo below 1000 m; oaks, chestnuts & other fruit trees, & chir forests between
1000 & 2000 m; pine, deodar, silver fern & spruce between 1600 & 3300 m; above 3600 m alpine forests with
trees like silver firs, pines, birches, etc. Alpine forests give way to Alpine grasslands & scrubs as we move up
further.
Tidal or Mangrove Forests- Also known as Littoral or Swamp Forests. Occur along the sea coast & in the
estuaries of rivers, especially in Sunderbans & the Andam Most important tree is Sundari. It provides hard
& durable timber which is used for construction & building purposes as well as for making boats.
IMPORTANT POINTS
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under forests followed by Arunanchal Pradesh. As per percentage of
forest area to total area, first is Andaman & Nicobar Islands, followed by Mizoram. In Mangrove forests, West
Bengal holds the first position, followed by Gujarat & Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The lowest forest
percentage is in Haryana & Punjab, because of the extensive agriculture.
BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN INDIA

In India, the first biosphere reserve – Nilgiri biosphere reserve – came into being in 1986. So far, 18 biosphere
reserves have been set up in the country.
NATIONAL PARKS & WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
There are 103 National Parks & 544 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India.
Madhya Pradesh & Andaman & Nicobar Islands have the maximum number of National Parks (9 each) while
Andaman & Nicobar Islands has 96 & Maharashtra has 42 Wildlife Sanctuaries (maximum in India).
CROPPING SEASONS IN INDIA

Kharif Crops of India
Sown in summers between May & July, & harvested after the rains, in September & October.
E.g. : Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc.

Rabi Crops of India
Sown at the beginning of winter & harvested before the onset of the summer season, between February & April.
E.g. : Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc.
Zaid Crops
They are raised between April & June.
E.g. : Melon, Watermelon, Cucumber, Toris, leafy & other vegetables.
Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops)

Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion of the product is consumed by the farmers themselves
(cotton, sugarcane etc.)
Sugarcane In UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka

Cotton In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh
Jute & Mesta In West Bengal, Bihar, Asom
Tea In Asom, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh
Coffee In Kamalaka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Rubber In Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
In Karnataka, Jammu& Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh. In India all 4 varieties
Silk of silk are available: Mulberry, Tussar, Eri & Muga. Mulberry is the main
variety, while Tussar is mainly found in Bihar.
Tobacco In Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka

Chapter
10 Agriculture
Jhum
Shifting type of cultivation practiced in the hill slopes of Asom, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram & Nagaland. In
this, the trees are felled & set on fire. The ash of the burnt trees & the other vegetation adds to the fertility of
soil. This land is used for 2-3 years till the soil gets exhausted & the jhum is abandoned. It is also known as
Dahi, Koman, Penda, Podu and Bewar in different parts of country.
Green Revolution
• To increase yield per hectare government of India introduced a programme called Green Revolution.
• The Green Revolution (first) was launched in 1967-68.
• Father of Green Revolution - Dr. Norman Borlaug.
• Father of Green Revolution in India - Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.
• Green Revolution focused the development of high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansion of
irrigation infrastructure, & distribution of hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers, & pesticides to farmers.
White Revolution
• The White Revolution in the country has been achieved by means of Operation Flood. It was carried out in
three phases.
• Operation Flood I - 1970 – 1981
Operation Flood II - 1981 - 1985
Operation Flood III - 1985 - 1996.
• White revolution launched to increase the quality & quanity of milk & dairy products.
• The Father of the White Revolution in India is Dr. Varghese Kurien. He is also known as Milkman of India.

Chapter
11 Transport System of India

Indian Railway-Indian railway system is the largest in Asia & the fourth largest in the world. It is the biggest
departmental public undertaking in the country. The first train ran in India between Bombay & Thane, a stretch
of 34 km. on April 16th, 1853. The second train ran between Howrah & Hooghly in 1854. The headquarters of
Indian Railway is in New Delhi.
The first electric train in India was ‘Deccan Queen’. It was introduced in 1929 between Bombay & Poona. Indian
Railways has the second biggest electrified system in the world after Russia.
The fastest train in India is the Shatabadi Express whose maximum speed is 140 km/hr. The total route covered
is approx 63,000 km. The total number of railway stations in India is 7,100.
The longest railway platforms are: Gorakhpur railway station, Uttar Pradesh, India: 1,366.33 m (4,483 ft)
(longest in the world). Mumbai is the destination where maximum number of trains in India head for.
The first Metro Rail was introduced in Kolkata (West Bengal) on October 24, 1984. The two stations connected
were Dumdum & Belgachhia.
Konkan Railways India : It is a project to shorten the distance between Maharashtra, Goa & Karnataka. The
total route length is 786 km between Apta (Maharashtra) & Mangalore (Karnataka).
Water Transport in India

The total length of navigable waterways in Indian comprising rivers, canals, backwaters, etc, is 14,500 km out
of which 3700 km is navigable by mechanised boats.
The government has recognised the following National Waterways of India:

NW 1: Allahabad to Haldia – 1,629 kms
NW 2: Sadia to Dhubari (on Brahmaputra river) – 891 kms
NW 3: Kollam to Kottapuram – 186 kms
NW 4: Kakinada to Marakkanam (Along Godavari & Krishna river) – 1,100 km
Ports in India
The Waterways Authority in India divides Indian ports into three categories, major, minor & intermediate.
India has about 190 ports in all, with 12 major & the rest intermediate & minor.
The 12 Major Ports are:
Port State
Kolkata (including Haldia) West Bengal
Paradip Orissa
Vishakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh
Chennai Tamil Nadu
Ennore Tamil Nadu
Tuticorin Tamil Nadu
Cochin Kerala

New Mangalore Karnataka
Mormugao Goa
Jawaharlal Nehru Maharashtra
Mumbai Maharashtra
Kandla Gujarat
Boundary lines
Lines
Durand Line Pakistan & Afghanistan
MacMohan Line India & China
Radcliffe Line India & Pakistan
Maginot Line France & Germany
Oder Niesse Line Germany & Poland
Hindenberg Line Poland & Germany (at the time of
First World War)
38th Parallel North & South Korea
49th Parallel USA & Canada

Chapter
12 Minerals
MINERALS IN INDIA
1. IRON :
India has huge deposits of iron-ore in Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka & Maharashtra. Iron-ore
is found in the mines at Singhbhum in Bihar & Mayurbhanj in Orissa. Big steel plants at Jamshedpur, Bhilai,
Bokaro, Durgapur, Rourkela & Bhadravati.
2. COAL :
It is known as ‘black diamond‘. Products like nylon, chemicals, dyes, drugs & perfumes are obtained from
the distillation of coal. Coal is found in Bihar, West Bengal, Damodar Valley, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh &
Madhya Pradesh. Jharia in Bihar & Raniganj in West Bengal are the largest coal mines in India. Other coal
mines are located at Suhagpur (Madhya Pradesh) Dhanbad (Bihar) Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) & Singarani
(Andhra Pradesh).
3. PETROLEUM :
Petroleum is known as ‘black gold’. Petroleum is found at Digboi in Assam, Ankaleshwar & Kalol in
Gujarat & Bombay High off the shore of Bombay.
4. MANGANESE :
Manganese is used in the manufacture of steel. India is one of the largest producers of manganese in the
world. It is found in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra.
5. MICA :
India is the largest producer of mica in the world. Its huge deposits are found in Gaya, Monghyr &
Hazaribagh districts of Bihar. Mica is also found in large quantities in Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan. A large
quantity of mica is exported to other countries.
6. ALUMINIUM :
It is a light but hard metal. The ore from which aluminum is known as bauxite. Huge deposits of bauxite
are found in Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Maharashtra.
7. COPPER :
It is a good conductor of electricity. It alloys with zinc to form brass & with tin to form bronze. It occurs in
small quantities in India. It is found at Khetri in Rajasthan. Some copper has been found in Andhra Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu.
8. GOLD :
Gold is produced from the mines at Kolar & Hutti in Karnataka & Anantapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
9. DIAMOND :
Diamonds are found in the mines at Panna in Madhya Pradesh.

Area Geography & Boundaris of India
1. Geography Area of India: 32,87,263 sq. km. Accounts for 2.4% of the total world area & roughly 16% of the
world population.
2. Mainland India has a coastline of 6,100 km. Including the Lakshadweep & Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
the coastline measures about 7516.6 km.
3. In India, of the total land mass:
a. Plains: 43.3%
b. Plateaus: 27.7%
c. Hills: 18.6%
d. Mountains: 10.7%
4. In the South, the Gulf of Mannar & the Palk Strait separate India from Sri Lanka.
5. Total land neighbours: 7 (Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh & Myanmar).
6. India’s Islands include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal & Lakshadweep, Minicoy &
Amindive Islands in the Arabian Sea.

Chapter
13 Some Important Facts about India
India Facts
• Highest Civilian Award-Bharat Ratna
• Highest Gallantry Award-Param Vir Chakra
• Longest Tributary river of India-Yamuna
• Largest Lake-Wular Lake, Kashmir (Fresh Water)
• Largest Lake (Saline Water)-Chilka Lake, Orrisa
• Largest Man-Made Lake-Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)
• Highest Lake-Devtal Lake, Gadhwal (Uttarakhand)
• Highest Peak-Karkoram or K-2(8,611 meters) (India)
• Largest Populated City-Mumbai
• Highest rainfall-Cherrapunji (426 inches per annum) Mawsynram
• State wise largest area under forest- Madhya Pradesh
• Largest Delta- Sunderbans Delta
• Longest River Bridge- Bhupen Hazarika Setu on Lohit river(Asom)
• Biggest Cave temple-Ellora
• Longest Road-Grand Trunk Road
• Longest Canal-Indira Gandhi Canal or Rajasthan Canal (Rajasthan)
• Largest Museum-India Museum at Kolkata
• Longest Dam-Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
• Highest Dam-Tehri Dam (260 meters , 850 ft )
• Largest District-Kutch district (Area wise)
• Longest Highway NH-44 (NH-7) which turns from Varanasi to Kanyakumari
• Smallest State (Population)-Sikkim
• Smallest State (Area)-Goa
• Largest State (Area)-Rajasthan
• Largest State (Population)-Uttar Pradesh
• Largest Cave Temple-Kailash Temple, Ellora (Maharastra)
• Largest Port-Mumbai
• Largest Church-Saint Cathedral (Goa)
• Longest Beach-Marina Beach, Chennai
• Highest Airport-Leh (Laddakh)
• Largest River Island-Majuli (Brahmaputra River, Asom)
Major Mountain Ranges of the World

• Andes -South America
• Himalayas-Karakoram-Hindukush -South Central Asia
• Rockies -North America
• Great Dividing Range-East Australia
• Western Ghats-Western India
• Caucasus Europe-Asia
• Alaska -USA

• Alps -Europe
• Apennines -Europe
• Ural -Asia
• Pennines -Europe
• Pyrenees-Europe
• Appalachian -North America
HIMALAYAS
• Punjab Himalaya-Between Indus & Satluj
• Kumaon Himalaya-Between Satluj & Kali
• Nepal Himalaya-Between Kali & Tista
• Assam Himalaya-Between Tista & Dihang (Brahmaputra)
IMPORTANT LAGOONS & LAKES

• VEMBNAD LAKE- Large sized lagoon located in Kerala.
• KAYALS-Popularly called back water in Kerala. Peaty soils of backwaters are called Kari in Kerala.
• CHILKA LAKE- Situated in south west of the Mahanadi Delta.
• WULAR LAKE: Situated in Jammu & Kashmir.Largest fresh water lake of India
• KOLLERU LAKE: Andhra Pradesh
• PULICAT LAKE: Andhra Pradesh
• JAISAMAND LAKE: Largest fresh water lake of Rajasthan
• NAKKI LAKE: Small natural lake near Mt. Abu surrounded by hills important as tourist place.
• LOKTAK LAKE: Manipur.
• SAMBHAR LAKE: Largest Lake of Rajasthan lies on the border of Jaipur & Nagaur District.
• DEEDWANA LAkE: Rajasthan

Chapter
14 Continents of the World

World Continents
• Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia & Antarctica are the seven continents of
the world.
• These seven continents were believed to be part of Pangaea which was a single landmass around 250
million years ago.
Asia
(1) Area: 44,485,900 sq Km.
(2) Straits- Strait of Malacca, Bering Strait.
(3) Mountains-Pamir Knot, Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Tien Shan, Altai, Hindu Kush, Elburz, Pontic,
Sulaiman, Zagros, Taurus, Urals, Yablonovoi, Stanovoi.
(4) Highest Point – Mt. Everest (8,848 m)
(5) Lowest Point - Dead Sea (396.8 m)
(6) Islands-Kurile, Sakhalin, Honshu, Hokkaido, Taiwan, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, New Guinea,
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Cyprus.
(7) Rivers-Eupharates, Tigris, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Hwang-Ho, Yang-tse, Si-kiang, Amur, Lena-
Yenisei, Ob, Irrawady, Salween, Mekong.
(8) Plateaus-Anatolia Plateau, Plateau of Iran, Plateau of Arabia, Plateau of Tibet, Tarim Basin, Plateau of
Mongolia, Plateau of Yunnan, Deccan Plateau.
(9) Peninsulas-Kamchatka Peninsula, Peninsula of Korea, Peninsula of Indo-China, Malay Peninsula. Indian
Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula.
(10) Deserts-Arab, Thar, Ladakh.
Africa
(1) Area-30,259,680 sq Km.
(2) Straits-Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, Straits of Gibraltar.
(3) Mountains-Atlas, Drakensberg, Kilimanjaro.
(4) Highest Point- Kilimanjaro (5,894 m).
(5) Lowest Point-Lake Assai (-156.1 m).
(6) Islands-Madagascar, Cape Verde Islands, The Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles.
(7) Plateaus-The whole continent is a plateau.
(8) Deserts-Kalahari, Sahara Namib.
South America
(1) Area- 17,820,770 sq km.
(2) Straits- Straits of Magellan.
(3) Mountains- Andes.
(4) Highest Point- Aconcagua (6,960 m).
(5) Lowest-Point Valdes Penin (-39.9 m).
(6) Islands-Galapagos, Falkland, Tierra del Fuego.
(7) Rivers-Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Uruguay.
(8) Plateaus- Plateau of Bolivia, Plateau of Equador.
(9) Deserts- Atacama, Pantagonia.

Eursope
(1) Europe ranks sixth. Its boundaries are the Arctic Ocean in the west & the Mediterranean Sea in the South.
In the east, it is separated from Asia by the Ural Mountains, the Caucasus mountains & the Caspian Sea.
(2) Reykjavik is also known as The Smoking Bay.
(3) Denmark is the smallest country of Scandinavia.
(4) Greenland the world’s largest island & the Faroe islands also belong to Denmark.
(5) Copenhagen the capital of Denmark is known as the key to the Baltic.
(6) Finland is known as the Land of Forests & Lakes.
(7) The capital & the largest city of Finland, Helsinki is known as the White city of the North.
(8) Stockholm, the capital of Sweden is known as Beauty on the Sea.
(9) Milan (Italy) is known as the Manchester of Italy.
(10) Rome is known as City of Seven Hills
(11) Vatican city is the smallest Sovereign & an independent state of the world, which is completely surrounded
by Italy.
Highest point - Mt. Elbrus, Russia

Most Southerly point - Gavdos, Greece
Largest Lake - L. Ladoga, Russia
Largest river – Volga
• Russia touches fourteen other countries & crosses eight time zones.
• Moscow is a part of five seas the Baltic Sea, Lake Ladoga, the Arctic Ocean, the Black sea & the Caspian
Sea.
• Mt. Blanc is the highest peak of Alps (in France)
• Important mountain ranges of Europe include Alps, Pyrenees, the Carpathian & the Caucasus.
• The highest mountain peak of Europe, Mt. Elbrus is the Caucasus.
• In the South - East part of Europe, there is an extensive grassland called the Steppes.
• Rhine is the busiest inland waterway of Europe.
• British Isles is separated from the mainland of Europe by the English Channel.
• The Pyrenees mountains separate France from Spain.
• The Ruhr (Germany) is the biggest & the richest coal producing area of Europe.
AUSTRALIA
• Australia is the smallest continent.
• It lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Australia is the only country in the world that covers the entire continent.
• It is also known as the Island Continent.
• Tropic of Capricon passes almost through the middle of the continent.
• Australia was discovered by captain James Cook, an English Seaman, in 1770.
• It is surrounded by Timor Sea in the northwest, Arafura sea & Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, Great
Barrier Reef in the north east & Great Australian Bight in the South.
Highest point
Mt. Kosciusko, Australia
Lowest point : Lake Eyre, Australia
Largest Lake : Lake Eyre

• The Murray & the Darling are the major rivers of Australia.
• Tropical grasslands are called Savannas & the temperate grasslands found in the
• Murray Darling basin are called Downs.
• Sydney is the largest city & important sea port of Australia.
• Tasman sea separates Australia from New Zealand.
• New Zealand is divided into two islands: The Northern Island & the Southern Island. Cook strait seperates
the two islands.
• Wellington the Capital lies in the Northern Island.
Antarctica
• Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, underlying the South Pole.
• It is situated in the Antarctica region of the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic
Circle, & is surrounded by the Southern Ocean.
Highest point : Vinson Massif, 4,897 m
Lowest point : Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m.
Longest river : Onyx River, 25 km
FACTS
Largest total area - Russia, 17,098,242 km²
Largest land area - Russia, 17,075,200 km²
Largest water area - Canada, 891,163 km²
Longest coastline - Canada, 243,792 km
Highest coastline to area ratio - Micronesia, 8,706.553 m/km²
Most countries bordered - Russia & China
Largest forest area - Russia with area 8,087,900 km²
Hottest, Coldest, Driest, Wettest
Hottest Place - Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia, annual average temperature (93.2°F, 34°C)
Coldest Place - Plateau Station, Antarctica, annual average temperature (-56.7°C)
Wettest Place - Mawsynram, Assam, India, annual average rainfall (11,873 mm, 467.4")
Driest Place - Atacama Desert, Chile, imperceptible rainfall on a yearly basis.
Important mountain ranges

Andes - South America
Rockies - North America
Atlas - Africa
Kilimanjaro - Africa
Appalachian- America
Ural - Europe
Alps - Europe
Carpathian - Europe
Mount Erebus - Antarctica
Himalayan - Asia
Volcanoes
Vesuvius - Italy
Etna - Italy
Stromboli - Italy

Barren - India (Andaman Nicobar)
Kilimanjaro - Tanzania
Krakatoa - Indonesia
Pina tubo - Philippines
• Most of the volcanoes found near Pacific Ocean in Ring of fire.
• Lighthouse of the Pacific - Izalco
• Lighthouse of the Mediterranean - Stromboli
Important Deserts
Atacama - South America
Sahara - Africa
Kalahari - Africa
Nameeb -Namibia
Great Sandy -Australia
Great Victoria - Australia
Takla Makan -China
Sahel -China
Thar - India
ISLANDS
Island of the volcanoes - Iceland
Island of the tortoise - Galapagos
Island of the Sailors - Samoa
Island of the inspiration - Tasmania
Pearl of the Antilles - Cuba
Friendly island - Tonga
Spring island - Jamaica
Birthplace of Napolean - Corsica Island
Biggest island - Greenland
Smallest island nation - Nauru
Folkland islands, Canary islands, Kozhzikka, St. Helena, Bahamas, Burmuda islands situated in Atlantic Ocean.

Chapter
15 Miscellaneous
Principal Peaks of India
1. Mt. Everest -8848 m (Nepal-Tibet) 6. Annapurna - 8078 m (Nepal)
2. Mt. K2-8611 m (India) 7. Gasherbrum - 8068 m (India)
3. Kanchenjunga -8597 m (Nepal-India) 8. Nanda Devi - 7817 m (India)
4. Dhaulagiri - 8172 m (Nepal) 9. Mt. Kamet - 7756 m (India)
5. Nanga Parbat - 8126 m (India) 10. Gurla Mandhata - 7728 (Tibet)
Valleys and its locations
• Araku Valley : Andhra Pradesh • Nubra Valley : Ladakh
• Damodar Valley : Jharkhand and West Bengal • Sangla Valley : Himachal pradesh
• Darma Valley : Uttarakhand • Saur Valley : Uttarakhand
• Dzukou Valley : North-eastern part • Suru Valley : Ladakh
• Johar Valley : Uttarakhand • Tons Valley : Uttarakhand
• Markha Valley : Ladakh • Yumthang Valley : Sikkim
States and Union Territories of India

States - Capital
1. Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad 16. Manipur - Imphal
2. Arunachal Pradesh - Itanagar 17. Mehghalaya - Shillong
3. Asom - Dispur 18. Mizoram - Aizawl
4. Bihar - Patna 19. Nagaland - Kohima
5. Chhattisgarh- Raipur 20. Odisha - Bhubaneshwar
6. Goa - Panaji 21. Punjab - Chandigarh
7. Gujarat - Gandhinagar 22. Rajasthan - Jaipur
8. Haryana - Chandigarh 23. Sikkim - Gangtok
9. Himachal Pradesh - Shimla 24. Tamil Nadu - Chennai
10. Jammu and Kashmir - Srinagar 25. Uttarakhand - Dehradun
11. Jharkhand - Ranchi 26. Uttar Pradesh - Lucknow
12. Karnataka - Bangaluru 27. Tripura - Agartala
13. Kerala - Tiruvanantapuram 28. West Bengal - Kolkata
14. Madhya Pradesh - Bhopal 29. Telangana - Hyderabad
15. Mahrashtra - Mumbai
Union Territory - Capital
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Port Blair 5. Lakshadweep - Kavaratti
2. Chandigarh - Chandigarh 6. Puducherry - Puducherry
3. Dadra & Nagar Haveli - Silvassa 7. National Capital Territory of Delhi - New Delhi
4. Daman and Diu - Daman
River Valley Projects
• Bhakra Nangal Project on Sutlej in Punjab, Highest in India. Ht 226 m. Reservoir is called Gobind Sagar
Lake.
• Mandi Project on Beas in HP.
• Chambal Valley Project on Chambal in M.P. & Rajasthan. 3 dams are there : Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana
Pratap Sagar Dam and Jawahar Sagar Dam.

• Damodar Valley Project on Damodar in Bihar. Based on Tennessee Valley Project, USA.
• Hirakud Project on Mahanadi in Orissa. World’s longest dam : 4801 m.
• Rihand Project on Son in Mirzapur. Reservoir is called Govind Vallabh Pant reservoir.
• Kosi Project on Kosi in Bihar.
• Mayurkashi Project on Mayurkashi in WB.
• Kakrapara Project on Tapti in Gujarat.
• Nizamsagar Project on Manjra in AP.
• Nagarjuna Sagar Project on Krishna in AP.
• Tungabhadra Project on Tungabhadra in AP & Karnataka.
• Shivasamudram Project on Kavery in Karnataka. It is the oldest river valley project of India.
• Tata Hydel Scheme on Bhima in Maharashtra.
• Sharavathi Hydel Project on Jog Falls in Karnataka.
• Kundah & Periyar Project in Tamil Nadu.
• Farakka Project on Ganga in WB. Apart from power and irrigation it helps to remove silt for easy
navigation.
• Ukai Project on Tapti in Gujarat.
• Mahi Project on Mahi in Gujarat.
• Salal Project on Chenab in J & K.
• Mata Tila Multipurpose Project on Betwa in UP & MP.
• Thein Project on Ravi, Punjab.
• Pong Dam on Beas, Punjab.
• Tehri Project on Bhagirathi, Uttarakhand.
• Sardar Sarovar Project on Narmada, Gujarat/MP.
Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in India

1. Bandipur National Park - Mysore, Karnataka.
2. Balpakram Sanctuary - Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
3. Chandraprabha Sanctuary - Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
4. Corbett National Park - Nainital, Uttarakhand.
5. Dachigam Sanctuary - Jammu and Kashmir.
6. Dudhwa National Park - Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.
7. Ghana Bird Sanctuary - Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
8. Gir National Park (Home of the Asiatic Lion) - Junagarh, Gujarat.
9. Hazaribagh National Park - Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
10. Jaldapara Sanctuary - Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
11. Kanha National Park - Mandla and Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh.
12. Kaziranga National Park - Jorhat, Asom.
13. Manas (Tiger Sancutary) - Barpeta, Asom.
14. Mudumalai Sanctuary - Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu.
15. Namdapha National Park - Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh.
16. Palamau - Daltonganj, Jharkhand.
17. Parkal - Warangal, Andhra Pradesh.
18. Periyar - Idukki, Kerala.
19. Ranganthitu Bird Sancutary - Mandya, Karnataka.

20. Shivpuri National Park - Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.
21. Sunderbans (Tiger Sanctuary) -West Bengal.
22. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary - Tamil Nadu.
23. Wild Ass Sanctuary - Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Indian Towns on Rivers
1. Allahabad - At the confluence of the Ganga and 18. Kota - Chambal
Yamuna. 19. Jabalpur - Narmada
2. Patna - Ganga 20. Panji - Mandavi
3. Varansi- Ganga 21. Ujjain - Kashipra
4. Kanpur- Ganga 22. Surat -Tapti
5. Haridwar - Ganga 23. Jamshedpur - Subarnarekha
6. Badrinath - Alaknanda 24. Dibrugarh -Brahmaputra
7. Agra- Yamuna 25. Guwahati -Brahmaputra
8. Delhi - Yamuna 26. Kolkata -Hooghly
9. Mathura - Yamuna 27. Sambalpur- Mahanadi
10. Ferozpur - Satluj 28. Cuttack -Mahanadi
11. Ludhiana - Satluj 29. Serirangapatnam -Cauvery
12. Srinagar - Jhelum 30. Hyderabad -Musi
13. Lucknow - Gomti 31. Nasik - Godavari
14. Jaunpur - Gomti 32. Vijayawada - Krishna
15. Ayodhya - Saryu 33. Curnool - Tungabhadra
16. Bareillly - Ram ganga 34. Tiruchirapalli - Kaveri
17. Ahmedabad - Sabarmati
Nick Name of Indian Places

1. Golden City - Amritsar. 20. City of lakes - Srinagar
2. Manchester of India - Ahmedabad 21. Steel city of India-Jamshedpur (called
3. Twin City Hyderabad-Sikandarabad Tatanagar)
4. City of festivals - Mudurai 22. City of Temples - Varanasi
5. Deccan Queen - Pune 23. Manchester of the north - Kanpur
6. City of Buildings - Kolkata 24. City of Rallies - New Delhi
7. Dakshin Ganga - Godavari 25. Heaven of India - Jammu & Kashmir
8. Old Ganga - Godavari 26. Boston of India - Ahmedabad
9. Egg bowls of Asia - Andhra Pradesh 27. Garden of spices of India - Kerala
10. Soya region - Madhya Pradesh 28. Switzerland of India - Kashmir
11. Manchester of the South - Coimbatore 29. Abode of the God- Prayag (Allahabad)
12. City of Nawabs - Lucknow 30. Pittsburg of India -Jamshedpur
13. Venice of the east - Kochi 31. City of seven islands- Mumbai
14. Queen of the Mountains-Mussoorie 32. Blue Mountains -Nilgiri
(Uttarkhand) 33. Queen of Arabian Sea- Kochi
34. Space City -Bengaluru
15. Sacred river - Ganga
35. Garden City of India - Bengaluru
16. Hollywood of India - Mumbai
36. Silicon valley of India - Bengaluru
17. City of Castles - Kolkata
37. Electronic City of India - Bengaluru
18. State of five rivers - Punjab
38. Pink City - Jaipur
19. City of weavers - Panipat
39. Gateway of India- Mumbai

Longest, Largest, Biggest, Smallest, Tallest and Highest
1. Longest river (India) - Ganga 33. Place of heaviest rainfall -Mawsynram
2. Longest river (World) - Nile (Meghalaya)
3. The longest tributary river of India - Yamuna 34. Largest corridor - Rameshwaram temple
4. The longest river of the south -Godavari corridor (Tamil Nadu)
5. Highest mountain peak -Godwin Austin (K2) 35. Largest cantilever span bride-Howrah Bridge
6. Largest lake (Fresh water)- Wular lake (Kolkata)
(Kashmir) 36. Largest forest state - Madhya Pradesh
7. Highest Dam -Tehri Dam on Bhagirathi River 37. Highest straight gravity Dam - Bhakra Dam
8. Largest Mosque - Jama Masjid, Delhi 38. Longest Railway Platform - Kharagpur (West
9. Longest Road - Grand Trunk Road Bengal)
10. State with longest coastline- Gujarat 39. Highest Lake - Devatal (Garhwal)
11. Largest railway route - Dibrugarh in Asom to 40. Largest Lake (Saline water) - Chika lake, Orissa
Kannyakumari in Tamil Nadu 41. Highest Civilian Award - Bharat Ratna
12. Longest tunnel - Jawahar tunnel (Jammu & 42. Highest Gallantry Award - Paramveer Chakra
Kashmir) 43. Largest Gurudwara -Golden Temple, Amritsar
13. Longest national highway- NH-7 which runs 44. Deepest river valley - Bhagirathi & Alaknanda
from Varanasi to Kanyakumari 45. State with longest coastline of South India -
14. Longest Dam - Hirakud Dam (Odisha) Andhra Pradesh
15. Longest River Bridge - Mahatma Gandhi Setu, 46. Longest river which forms estuary -Narmada
Patna 47. Largest Church - Saint Cathedral (Goa)
16. Largest Museum - National Museum, Kolkata 48. Longest Beach -Marina Beach, Chennai
17. Largest Delta - Sunderban Delta, West Bengal 50. Highest Battle field - Siachin Glacier
18. Largest Dome -Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur 51. Highest Airport - Leh (Laddakh)
(Karnataka) 52. Largest river island- Majuli (Brahmaputra
19. Largest Zoo- Zoological Gardens, Alipur, river, Assam)
Kolkata 53. Largest Planetarium- Birla Planetarium
20. Largest man-made Lake- Govind Vallabh Pant (Kolkata)
Sagar (Rihand Dam)
21. Largest Desert(India) - Thar (Rajasthan)
22. Smallest State (Area) - Goa
23. Smallest State (Population) - Sikkim
24. Highest Waterfall - Gersoppa
waterfall(Karnataka)
25. Longest Electric railway line - From Delhi to
Kolkata via Patna
26. Densest populated State - West Bengal
27. Largest cave temple - Kailash temple, Ellora
(Maharashtra)
28. Largest animal Fair - Sonepur (Bihar)
29. Highest Gateway - Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur
Sikri (Agra)
30. Biggest Hotel Oberal -Sharaton (Mumbai)
31. Largest State (Area) -Rajasthan
32. Largest State (Population) -Uttar Pradesh

1. Which of the following is not an example of Point 11. A level of atmosphere which is composed partly
Source of pollution? of electrons and positive ions is called-
(a) Oil refinery wastewater (a) Troposphere (b) Ionosphere
(b) Noise from Jet engine (c) Stratosphere (d) Mesosphere
(c) Air pollution from forest fire 12. The smallest island country in the Indian Ocean
(d) Pollutants mixed in rainwater runoff is?
2. Among the following states, the literacy rate is (a) Maldives (b) Sri Lanka
highest in? (c) Mauritius (d) Madagascar
(a) Orissa (b) Punjab 13. What is Damodar Valley Corporation?
(c) Maharashtra (d) Mizoram (a) Statutory body
3. The dispute over Siachin Glacier is between - (b) Municipal Corporation looking after
(a) India and China Damodar Valley
(b) India and Afghanistan (c) A private enterprise located in Bihar
(c) India and Pakistan (d) A non government organisation
(d) India and Nepal 14. Why is Carbon Monoxide a pollutant?
4. The Tuirial Hydroelectric Power Project (HEPP) (a) Reacts with hemoglobin
is located in which state? (b) It inhibits glycolysis
(a) Kerala (b) Mizoram (c) It reacts with Oxygen
(c) Nagaland (d) Assam (d) None of these
15. Why is Rann of Kutch of India famous for?
5. A wide inlet of the sea usually concave in shape,
(a) Tidal and flats (b) Fertile soil
is termed as a:
(c) Dense Vegetation (d) All are correct
(a) Strait (b) Sound
16. What is the position of the Earth when it is at
(c) Bay (d) Fjord
the greatest distance from the sun?
6. Punjab has a large number of inundation canals
(a) Aphelion (b) Apogee
drawing water from?
(c) Perihelion (d) Perigee
(a) Jhelum river (b) Chenab river
17. Which of the following wind is blowing from
(c) Beas river (d) Sutlej river
the Mediterranean sea to the North Western
7. Sullage water is ______
parts of India?
(a) Waste water released from kitchen
(a) Western disturbances
(b) Waste water released from toilets
(b) Norwesters
(c) Waste water released from factories
(c) Loo
(d) Waste water released from hospitals
(d) Mango showers
8. Continuous chain of mountains that rise
18. Which layer of the earth's atmosphere contains
abruptly more or less parallel to the coastline of
the ozone layer?
India is -
(a) Troposphere (b) Mesosphere
(a) Aravalli (b) Satpura (c) Ionosphere (d) Stratosphere
(c) Eastern ghats (d) Western ghats 19. Where is the Great Barrier Reef located ?
9. The biggest reserves of Thorium are in ____. (a) Pacific Ocean (b) Indian Ocean
(a) China (b) USA (c) Atlantic Ocean (d) Arctic Ocean
(c) India (d) France 20. Among the following States, _________has the
10. Why the Earth is having its own atmosphere ? lowest birth rate in India.
(a) Winds (b) Clouds (a) Kerala (b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Gravity (d) Rotation of the Earth (c) Bihar (d) West Bengal

21. The Secretariat of SAARC is set up at _________. 33. At Barren Island, the only active volcano in
(a) Washington (b) Kathmandu India is situated in -
(c) Hague (d) New Delhi (a) Andaman Islands (b) Nicobar Islands
22. The outermost range of Himalays is called____. (c) Lakshadweep (d) Minicoy
(a) Himadri (b) Shiwaliks 34. The transfer of minerals from top soil to subsoil
(c) Himachal (d) Kumaon through soil-water is called?
23. The longest river of peninsular India is_______. (a) Percolation (b) Conduction
(a) Narmada (b) Godavari (c) Leaching (d) Transpiration
(c) Mahanadi (d) Cauvery 35. The Kovvada Nuclear Park project is proposed
24. The atomic power station in Rajasthan is to be setup in which State?
situated at: (a) Rajasthan (b) Uttar Pradesh
(a) Pokhran (b) Suratgarh (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Karnataka
(c) Rawatbhata (d) Chittorgarh 36. Molten rock below the surface of the earth is
25. Which of the following caused radioactive called __________.
pollution along the coast of Kerala? (a) Basalt (b) Laccolith
(a) Plutonium (b) Zinc (c) Lava (d) Magma
(c) Thorium (d) Radium 37. The depletion in Ozone layer is caused by
26. Which of the following causes rainfall during ___________.
winters in the northwestern part of India? (a) Nitrous oxide (b) Carbon dioxide
(a) Western disturbances (c) Chlorofluorocarbons (d) Methane
(b) Cyclonic depression 38. Sariska and Ranthambore are the reserves for
(c) Southwest monsoon which of the following ?
(d) Retreating monsoon (a) Lion (b) Deer
27. Which country is separated from India by a (c) Tiger (d) Bear
narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait 39. The World's largest island is -
and the Gulf of Mannar? (a) Greenland (b) Iceland
(a) Bangladesh (b) Myanmar (c) New Guinea (d) Madagascar
(c) Sri Lanka (d) Pakistan 40. The longest sea beach in India is -
28. Where do the Western and Eastern Ghats meet? (a) Chapora beach (b) Diu beach
(a) Nilgiri hills (b) Cardamom hills (c) Aksa beach (d) Marina beach
(c) Palani hills (d) Annamalai hills 41. Which one of the following region is most rich
29. The natural habitat of Rhinoceros in India is - in coal deposits?
(a) Bharatpur (b) Gir forest (a) Bramhaputra Valley (b) Damodar Valley
(c) Kaziranga (d) Nilgiris (c) Mahanadi Valley (d) Godavari Valle
30. India shares longest international boundary
42. Rainfall caused by intense evaporation in
with which country?
equatorial areas is called _____________.
(a) Bangladesh (b) China
(a) Orographic rainfall
(c) Nepal (d) Bhutan
(b) Cyclonic rainfall
31. Tsangpo is the other name in Tibet for _______.
(c) Frontal rainfall
(a) Kosi (b) Gandak
(d)Convectional rainfal
(c) Brahmaputra (d) Ganga
43. Nandadevi peak is located in ____________
32. The largest herbarium of India is located at -
State.
(a) Kolkata (b) Lucknow
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Uttarakhand
(c) Mumbai (d) Coimbatore
(c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Sikkim

44. The Andaman is separated from Nicobar by 53. Which place is said to be the Manchester of
which water body? South India?
(a) 11° channel (b) 10° Channel (a) Coimbatore (b) Salem
(c) Palk Strait (d) Gulf of Mannar (c) Thanjavur (d) Madurai
45. Which of these is a dwarf planet? 54. The beach sands of Kerala are rich in -
(a) Neptune (b) Titan
(a) Calcium (b) Radium
(c) Eris (d) Hydra
(c) Thorium (d) Manganese
46. The Ghatampur thermal power plant recently
55. The Himalayas is the example of _________.
approved by Cabinet is to be setup in -
(a) Fold mountains (b) Block mountains
(a) Rajasthan (b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Ancient mountains (d) Residual mountains
(c) Karnataka (d) Madhya Pradesh
47. Which one of the following is not a non 56. The largest irrigation canal in India is ________.
conventional source of energy? (a) Yamuna canal
(a) Solar Energy (b) Natural Gas (b) Indira Gandhi canal
(c) Wind Energy (d) Tidal Power (c) Sirhind canal
48. The layer where the decrease in temperature (d)Upper Bari Doab canal
with increasing altitude is totally absent is - 57. Even after sunset, the air near the Earth's
(a) Troposphere (b) Ionosphere surface continue to receive heat due to:
(c) Stratosphere (d) Mesosphere (a) Insolation (b) Terrestrial Radiation
49. The term "Doab" means - (c) Conduction (d) Convection
(a) a land between two mountains 58. A landscape which is caused due to the fissure
(b) a land between two lakes
in the earth along which one side has moved
(c) a land between two rivers
down with reference to the other is known as -
(d) a land between two seas
(a) Rift Valley (b) U Shaped Valley
50. What is Dakshin Gangotri?
(c) V Shaped Valley (d) Hanging Valley
(a) River valley in Andhra Pradesh
(b) Unmanned station located in Antarctica 59. One of the leading producers of asbestos in the
(c) Second source of River Ganga world is :
(d) Island in the Indian Ocean (a) Australia (b) Russia
51. Japan is called the 'Land of the rising sun' (c) Canada (d) Armenia
because- 60. Which of the following is the most important
(a) Sun rises there as soon as it sets raw material for generation of power in India?
(b) Sun always remains in the eastern part of (a) Mineral Oil (b) Natural Gas
the sky throughout the day in Japan (c) Uranium (d) Coal
(c) Japan being the Eastern most country in the 61. Harvesting season of Kharif crop in India is
world, it has the earliest sunrise _________
(d) The rays of the sun get reflected from the
(a) January-March (b) February-April
waters of the sea and make the sunrise beautiful
(c) September-October (d) November-January
in Japan
62. Spraying of DDT on crops causes pollution of
52. The ‘Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal' was
__________
constituted to resolve the water sharing
between- (a) Air & Soil (b) Crops & Air
(a) Gujarat and Rajasthan (c) Soil & Water (d) Air & Water
(b) Gujarat and Maharashtra 63. Which of the following region in India is now
(c) Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya regarded as an "Ecological Hot Spot"?
Pradesh (a) Western Himalayas (b) Central Himalayas
(d) Gujarat and Daman and Diu (c) Western Ghats (d) Eastern Ghats

64. The source of energy that causes the least global 75. The world's largest and deepest rail tunnel
warming is - Gotthard Base Tunnel is located in which
(a) Coal (b) Geothermal energy country?
(c) Natural Gas (d) Petroleum (a) Belgium (b) Austria
65. The constellation 'Sapta Rishi' is known to (c) Switzerland (d) Sweden
Westerners as the - 76. One of the common forms of representing
(a) Seven Monks (b) Alpha Centauri remote sensing data as information is in the form
(c) Great bear (d) Small Bear of
66. The study of relation of animals and plants to (a) Thematic Maps (b) Political maps
their surroundings is called__________ (c) Distribution maps (d) Land use maps
(a) Ecology (b) Ethrology 77. Bhakra Nangal Project is constructed across
(c) Genealogy (d) Iconology which river?
67. The impact of Green Revolution was felt most in (a) Ganga (b) Sutlej
the case of (c) Cauvery (d) Brahmaputra
(a) Wheat (b) Rice 78. A stretch of sea water, partly or fully separated
(c) Pulses (d) Oil seeds by a narrow strip from the main sea is called
68. A broad, low embankment built up along the (a) Bay (b) Isthmus
banks of a river channel during floods is called (c) Lagoon (d) Strait
(a) Delta (b) Levee 79. The Daily Weather Map of India is prepared and
(c) Flood Plain (d) Dune printed at___________
69. The tides in the sea are primarily due to (a) Kolkata (b) Mumbai
(a) the atmospheric effect of the Earth (c) New Delhi (d) Pune
(b) the gravitational effect of Venus on the Earth 80. The first protocol to ban the emissions of
(c) the gravitational effect of the mars on the choloroflurocarbons in the atmosphere was
Earth made in
(d) the gravitational effect of the Moon on the (a) Montreal (b) Osaka
Earth (c) Geneva (d) Florida
70. What process takes place during the youthful 81. Magnetic Meridian is a
stage of a river? (a) Line parallel to the equator of the Earth
(a) Valley widening (b) River rejuvenating (b) Latitude
(c) Valley deepening (d) Meandering (c) Line joining the geographic north and
71. The region which is a water divide between the geographic south of Earth
Ganga and Indus river systems is____________. (d) Plane passing through the magnetic north
(a) Haridwar (b) Namcha barwa and magnetic south of Earth
(c) Alakananda (d) Ambala 82. In a rainforest, the vegetation that grows under
72. The outer most layer of Sun is known as the shade of a canopy is known as
__________. (a) Crown (b) Canopy
(a) Chromosphere (b) Photosphere (c) Under storey (d) Forest floor
(c) Radioactive zone (d) Corona 83. "Great Barrier Reef", the world's largest Coral
73. Ring of Fire is found commonly in_________ reef is located in
(a) Pacific Ocean (b) Atlantic Ocean (a) Caribbean Islands (b) Australia
(c) Indian Ocean (d) Arctic Ocean (c) Philippines (d) Indonesia
74. Winds blowing constantly in one direction in 84. _________ is a byproduct of sewage treatment
rocky deserts form and can be decomposed to produce biogas
(a) Chimneys (b) Mushrooms rocks (a) Sewage (b) Sludge
(c) Yardangs (d) Demoiselles (c) Sewer (d) Scum

85. Which one of the following cities of Iraq is 96. Which State of India is leading in solar energy
located on Tigris river? generation?
(a) Baghdad (b) Basra (a) Gujarat (b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Kirkuk (d) None of thes (c) Haryana (d) Uttar Pradesh
86. The erosional land forms formed by wave 97. Ganga is a result of confluence of rivers
erosion is - Bhagirathi and Alakananda at which place?
(a) Spit (b) Beach (a) Deva Prayag (b) Karan Prayag
(c) Cave (d) Barrier island (c) Gangotri (d) Rudra Prayag
87. Growing agricultural crops between rows of 98. Which country is known as 'Land of Midnight
planted trees is known as - Sun'?
(a) Social forestry (b) Jhum Cultivation (a) Sweden (b) Norway
(c) Taungya system (d) Community Forestry (c) Germany (d) Finland
88. A drainage pattern where a river is joined by its 99. Which river basin is shared by more than 10
tributaries approximately at right angles is States of India?
___________.
(a) Indus (b) Brahmaputra
(a) Dendritic (b) Trellis
(c) Ganga (d) Damodar
(c) Rectangular (d) Radial
100. Which of the following is not a commercial
89. The core of the earth is also known as ______.
source of energy?
(a) Lithosphere (b) Mesosphere
(a) Coal (b) Petroleum
(c) Barysphere (d) Centrosphere
(c) Natural Gas (d) Firewood
90. The polar regions are sparsely populated
101. Which of the following is the uppermost layer of
because of -
the atmosphere?
(a) lack of minerals
(a) Stratosphere (b) Mesosphere
(b) unsuitable climatic conditions
(c) Ionosphere (d) Exosphere
(c) infertile land
102. The largest producer of Lac in India is
(d) mountainous topography
(a) Chattisgarh (b) Jharkhand
91. Algal bloom results from -
(a) Global warming (b) Salination (c) West Bengal (d) Gujarat
(c) Eutrophication (d) Biomagnification 103. A tropical deciduous plant special to the Deccan
92. Among the world oceans, which ocean is having plateau is
the widest continental shelf? (a) Teak (b) Shisam
(a) Antarctic ocean (b) Arctic Ocean (c) Sandalwood (d) Sal
(c) Indian Ocean (d) Atlantic ocean 104. Which river does not form a delta?
93. Which is largest peninsular river in India? (a) Ganga (b) Brahmputra
(a) Krishna (b) Godavari (c) Godavari (d) Tapi
(c) Cauvery (d) Mahanadi 105. Bandhavgarh National Park is located in which
94. Red soil is normally found in India in which State?
regions? (a) Maharashtra (b) Madhya Pradesh
(a) Eastern Region only (c) Gujarat (d) Jharkhand
(b) Southern Region only 106. Which is called the "Lake District of India"?
(c) Eastern & Southern part of the Deccan Plateau (a) Nainital (b) Shimla
(d) None of these (c) Gangtok (d) Matheran
95. Which of the following green house gases has the 107. "Tsunami" is the name given to which of the
greatest heat trapping ability? following?
(a) Chloro fluoro carbon(b) Methane (a) Earthquake (b) Cyclone
(c) Carbon dioxide (d) Nitrous oxide (c) Tidal Waves (d) Undersea Waves

108. Which of the following is/are 'rain cloud'? 119. Why does the west coast of India receive more
1. Cirrus 2. Nimbostratus rainfall from southwest monsoon than the east
3. Cumulonimbus 4. Altocumulus coast?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (a) Unlike the east coast this coast is straight
(c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1 and 4 only (b) The Western Ghats obstruct the winds
109. Arrange the following cities in an order from causing rainfall
North to South (c) The east coast is broader than the west coast
(1) Bhubaneshwar (2) Chennai (d) The Eastern Ghats extend parallel to wind
(3) Hyderabad (4) Cochin direction
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 1 2 3 4 120. The plateau that has both West and East flowing
(c) 1 2 4 3 (d) 1 3 4 2 drainage system is -
110. On which river is the Tehri dam built?
(a) Malwa (b) Chota Nagpur
(a) Alakananda (b) Bhagirathi
(c) Ranchi (d) Hazaribagh
(c) Ganga (d) Hooghly
121. Which is the warmest layer of the atmosphere?
111. With which country, India has the longest
(a) Thermosphere (b) Troposphere
international boundary?
(c) Stratosphere (d) Mesosphere
(a) Nepal (b) Pakistan
122. The Siachin Glacier's melting waters are the main
(c) China (d) Bangladesh
source of which of the following rivers :
112. Which State in India has the largest coastline?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Andhra Pradesh (a) Beas (b) Sutlej
(c) Gujarat (d) West Bengal (c) Indus (d) Nubra
113. Jog falls in Karnataka is located over which river? 123. Which among the following is called as 'Land of
(a) Kaveri (b) Godavari the midnight Sun'?
(c) Sharavati (d) Krishna (a) Norway (b) Sweden
114. Which one of the following areas of India is (c) Denmark (d) France
covered by tropical evergreen forest? 124. The mountain range which divides the North
(a) Semi-arid areas of Gujarat and the South India is
(b) Eastern Ghats (a) Himalayas (b) Western ghats
(c) Western Ghats (c) Vindhyas (d) Satpura
(d) Central India 125. In which of the following States is Dampa Tiger
115. Which of the following is not an Igneous Rock? Reserve situated?
(a) Dolomite (b) Granite (a) Assam (b) Karnataka
(c) Basalt (d) Gabbro (c) Mizoram (d) Orissa
116. The deepest trench of the Indian Ocean is 126. The State which produces largest number of
(a) Java trench (b) Aleutian trench orchids in India is
(c) Atacama trench (d) Tizard trench (a) Assam (b) Arunachal Pradesh
117. Which of the following is called the 'Land of the (c) Meghalaya (d) Sikkim
Golden Pagoda'? 127. Which one of the following bio reserves of India
(a) Myanmar (b) China
is not included in the World Network of
(c) Japan (d) North Korea
Biosphere Reserve?
118. Intensive cultivation refers to -
(a) Sunderbans (b) Gulf of Mannar
(a) Production with intensive use of labour
(c) Nandadevi (d) Corbett
(b) Production with intensive use of fertilizer
128. Which of the following State is surrounded by
(c) Raising production by intensive use of
Bangladesh from three sides?
existing land
(a) Nagaland (b) Assam
(d) Raising production by large scale use of
(c) Arunachal Pradesh (d) Tripura
imported inputs

129. Which of the following is called the Land of 139. Which of these countries has the longest
White Elephants? coastline?
(a) Thailand (b) Africa (a) Canada (b) India
(c) Cuba (d) Turkey (c) Australia (d) Indonesia
130. The disconnected lines drawn on a map for 140. Which of these coasts receive maximum rain
showing slope during retreating monsoon ?
(a) Bench marks (b) Contours (a) Coromandal coast (b) Konkan Coast
(c) Form lines (d) Hachure (c) Malabar Coast (d) None of these
131. On which date is India likely to experience the 141. In India ‘Burst of Monsoon’ refers to the
shortest day? occasion when:
(a) December 22 (b) March 21 (a) Monsoon causes destruction
(c) June 22 (d) September 23 (b) first rain of monsoon is observed
132. Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain (c) no rain is obsowed during monsoon
and snow is called - (d) None of these
(a) Drizzle (b) Hail 142. On which date the earth experiences summer
(c) Sleet (d) Snow solstice ?
133. The northern part of the west coast in India is (a) June 21 (b) December 22
known as - (c) March 21 (d) September 23
(a) Konkan coast (b) Coromandel coast 143. Which of these is near international date line?
(c) Malabar coast (d) Godavari Coast (a) Bering Strait (b) Suez Canal
134. Which sanctuary in India is famous for (c) Dead Sea (d) Mariana Trench
Rhinoceros and in which state is it located? 144. The mid-continent belt including the volcanoes
(a) Gir, Gujarat of Alpine mountain chain covers which of the
(b) Kaziranga, Assam following sea?
(c) Ranthambore, Rajasthan (a) Mediterranean sea (b) Red sea
(d) Corbett, Uttarakhand (c) Dead sea (d) Arabian sea
135. Three crops that contribute maximum to global 145. The biggest natural satellite of our solar system
food grain production are _________. is?
(a) Wheat, rice, barley (a) Phobas (b) Deimos
(b) Rice, maize, sorghum (c) Moon (d) Ganymede
(c) Wheat, maize, sorghum 146. Which of the following planets revolve
(d) Wheat, rice, maize clockwise?
136. Which of the following is least likely to be an (a) Earth and Mercury
effect of global warming? (b) Venus and Neptune
(a) Increased frequency of hurricanes (c) Venus and Uranus
(b) Loss of fertile delta region as for agriculture (d) Uranus and Neptune
(c) Decreased rate of photosynthesis in 147. As compared to earth the gravitational pull of
vegetation moon is:
(d) Shrinking of the polar ice regions (a) 6 times (b) 1/6 times
137. Which of the following sources has the largest (c) 2 times (d) ½ times
share in power generation in India? 148. The point of origin of earth quake is known as:
(a) Atomic power (b) Thermal power (a) Seismic centre (b) Epicentre
(c) Hydro power (d) Wind power (c) Core centre (d) Seismic Focus
138. Which of these waves/winds is also known as 149. Which state does not share a common border
‘Doctor wind’? with Haryana?
(a) Sirocco (b) Harmattan (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Loo (d) None of thes (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Rajasthan

150. Which planet is also referred to as a "Dwarf 162. Which of the following Indian chilly is
planet"? considered one of the hottest in the world?
(a) Pluto (b) Mercury (a) Bhut Jolokia (b) Bhut Mahabora
(c) Jupiter (d) Saturn (c) Lal Chitin (d) Lal Shamak
151. Khangchendzonga National Park is in - 163. Name the hottest planet?
(a) Maharashtra (b) Orissa (a) Mercury (b) Venus
(c) Rajasthan (d) Sikkim (c) Neptune (d) Mars
152. Evidence suggests that life on Earth has existed 164. Shortest day in the Northern hemisphere is
for about_________________. _______.
(a) 3.5 million years (b) 35 billion years (a) 22nd November (b) 22nd December
(c) 35 million years (d) 3.5 billion years (c) 22nd March (d) 22nd June
153. Which is the longest national highway in India? 165. Nepali is primarily spoken in which State?
(a) NH4 (b) NH44 (a) Karnataka (b) Rajasthan
(c) NH10 (d) NH5 (c) Sikkim (d) Andhra Pradesh
154. Which among the following is not a dwarf 166. Dogri is primarily spoken in which State?
planet? (a) Assam (b) West Bengal
(a) Mars (b) Makemake (c) Meghalaya (d) Jammu & Kashmir
(c) Pluto (d) Eris 167. A living part of the organisms environment is
155. Corbett National Park was established to protect known as -
which animal? (a) Abiotic Factor (b) Habitat
(a) Bengal Tigers (b) Snow Leopards (c) Biotic Factor (d) Nonliving factor
(c) Asiatic Lions (d) One-Horned Rhinos 168. What percentage of India's population is
156. Which state does not share a common border dependent on agriculture?
with Chhattisgarh? (a) 85% (b) 50%
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Odisha (c) 55% (d) 40%
(c) Jharkhand (d) Maharashtra 169. Which is the closest star to our solar system?
157. Name the longest river which flows in India. (a) Alpha Centauri (b) Beta Centauri
(a) Cauvery (b) Ganga (c) Sirius (d) Procyon
(c) Godavari (d) Krishna 170. Which planet is known as red planet?
158. Kanha National Park is saving the rare and (a) Mercury (b) Pluto
almost extinct species of the Swamp Deer, also (c) Mars (d) Venus
known as- 171. The number of biogeographical zones in India
(a) Barasingha (b) Black Buck are-
(c) Chinkara (d) Nilgai (a) 2 (b) 10
159. Which state in India has the largest cover area of (c) 5 (d) 6
forest? 172. In which direction does the earth rotates around
(a) Uttarakhand (b) Madhya Pradesh its axis?
(c) Kerala (d) Uttar Pradesh (a) east to west (b) west to east
160. Longest day in the Northern hemisphere is ___. (c) north to south (d) south to east
(a) 21st March (b) 21st September 173. Which state in India receives the highest
(c) 21st June (d) 21st April rainfall?
161. Who coined the term "Ecology"? (a) Meghalaya (b) Rajasthan
(a) Ernst Haeckel (c) Uttarakhand (d) Kerala
(b) G. Evelyn Hutchinson 174. Which device is used to measure earthquakes?
(c) Hugo de Vries (a) Endoscope (b) Thermometer
(d) Robert Brown (c) Sonograph (d) Seismograph

175. The Gir National Park and the Sasan Gir 186. Carbon dioxide is produced by all of the
Sanctuary of Gujarat are the only wildlife following except -
sanctuaries in India that have - (a) Burning fossil fuels (b) Global warming
(a) Bengal Tigers (b) Asiatic Lions (c) Cement production (d)Deforestation
(c) One-Horned Rhinos (d) Black Buck 187. Melghat Tiger Reserve is located in which state?
176. The glowing surface of the Sun is called ______. (a) West Bengal (b) Rajasthan
(a) Photosphere (b) Chromosphere (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Maharashtra
(c) Corono (d) Troposphere 188. Which atmospheric layer contains ozone layer?
177. ________ season is when the Sun is directly (a) Mesosphere (b) Exosphere
overhead the equator. (c) Stratosphere (d) Ionosphere
(a) Summer (b) Spring 189. Which of the following is the highest peak of
(c) Winter (d)None of these Satpura Range?
178. Birth rate in a country is defined as - (a) Gurushikhar (b) Dhupgarh
(a) Number of births per 100 in 1 year (c) Pachmarhi (d) Mahendragiri
(b) Number of births per 1000 in 1 year 190. Tropic of Cancer passes through which of the
(c) Number of births per km of area in 1 year following group of Indian States:
(d) Number of births per 100 km of area in 1 (a) Gujarat, MP, Chattisgarh, Manipur
year (b) Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal,
179. Where is "The Geysers", the world's largest Mizoram
geothermal field, containing a complex of 22 (c) UP, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand
geothermal power plants, located? (d) Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra
(a) Rio (b) New Orleans Pradesh
(c) Moscow (d) San Francisco 191. "Sirius", the brightest star outside solar system,
180. Which is the largest continent in the world? is also called ______.
(a) Africa (b) North America (a) Cat star (b) Dog star
(c) South America (d) Asia (c) Fox star (d) Lion star
181. Which among the following is false about 192. In terms of size, Jupiter ranks number ___ in our
Earth? Solar System.
(a) It is the densest planet (a) 1 (b) 2
(b) It is the fifth largest planet (c) 3 (d) 4
(c) It is also known as red planet 193. Majuli, the largest river island in the world is
(d) It is the third planet from the sun located in which among the following states of
182. Who is known as the father of Green India?
Revolution? (a) Assam (b) Manipur
(a) Dr. Robert Nucleus (b) Dr. Ian Wilmut
(c) Nagaland (d) Tripura
(c) Dr. N E Borlaug (d) Dr. JC Bose
194. Pagladia Dam Project is located in which state?
183. Panthera Tigris is the scientific name of -
(a) Arunachal Pradesh
(a) Panther (b) Tiger
(b) Sikkim
(c) Whale (d) Goat
(c) Assam
184. Dehradun is the capital city of _____.
(d) West Bengal
(a) Uttarakhand (b) Uttar Pradesh
195. ‘Gir Kesar’, which has been given the
(c) Tripura (d) Arunachal Pradesh
Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is a famous
185. Gir forest is located in ______.
variety of which among the following?
(a) Kerala (b) Gujarat
(a) Saffron (b) Pepper
(c) Jammu & Kashmir (d) Karnataka
(c) Mango (d) Sweat

196. What are Equinox days? 207. Which city is located on the banks of the river
(a) When day is smaller than night Brahmaputra?
(b) When day is the longest in the year (a) Kanpur (b) Srinagar
(c) When day is greater than night (c) Dibrugarh (d) Lucknow
(d) When day and night are equal 208. Manas National Park is in which state?
197. Which is the largest Union Territory of India? (a) Orissa (b) Maharashtra
(a) Goa (c) Assam (d) Sikkim
209. Marble is a metamorphic rock of _______.
(b) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(a) Sandstone (b) Limestone
(c) Puducherry
(c) Granite (d) Clay
(d) Chandigarh
210. Which city is located on the banks of the river
198. The famous 'Hawa Mahal' is in which city of
Chambal?
Rajasthan?
(a) Ahmedabad (b) Ayodhya
(a) Ajmer (b) Jodhpur (c) Badrinath (d) Kota
(c) Jaipur (d) Kota 211. What is the capital of Portugal?
199. Where is Pushkar Fair held? (a) Lisbon (b) Minsk
(a) Bihar (b) Uttar Pradesh (c) Vienna (d) Buenos Aires
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Rajasthan 212. Madrid is the Capital City of _____.
200. Kaziranga National Park is the only natural (a) Philippines (b)Maldives
habitat of the endangered? (c) Spain (d) United Kingdom
(a) Snow Leopards 213. Madhya Pradesh has the highest of reserves of
(b) One Horned Rhinos which of the following animals?
(c) Asiatic Lions (a) Tiger (b) Lion
(d) Swamp Deer (c) Peacock (d) Langur
201. Which among the following is not an inner 214. The highest airport in India is -
planet? (a) Dharamshala airport (b)Pithoragarh
airport
(a) Mercury (b) Saturn
(c) Leh airport (d) Dehradun airport
(c) Venus (d) Earth
215. World’s longest land border is between which
202. Earth is also known as _______.
two countries?
(a) Orange planet (b) Green planet
(a) Australia and New Zealand
(c) Blue planet (d) Yellow plane
(b) India and China
203. Nagarhole National Park is part of the (c) Switzerland and Italy
____________ Biosphere Reserve. (d) Canada and USA
(a) Aravalli (b) Vindhya 216. Baghdad is the Capital City of ________.
(c) Satpura (d) Nilgiri (a) Iraq (b) Thailand
204. Where is the Film and Television Institute of (c) China (d) Russia
India located? 217. What is the Greenhouse Effect?
(a) Ahmedabad (b) Mysore (a) The fall in population of plants due to
(c) Mumbai (d) Pune human activity(b) It is the warming of earth's
205. Raipur is the capital of which Indian State? surface due to its atmosphere
(a)Jharkhand (b) Goa (c) The polluting effect of burning fossil fuels
(c)Himachal Pradesh (d) Chhattisgarh (d) The heating of the atmosphere due to
206. The Great Smog of 1952 was a severe air- depletion of the ozone layer
pollution event which affected _______. 218. The longest railway platform in India -
(a) Amritsar (b) Gorakhpur
(a)Paris (b) London
(c) Kathgodam (d) Kanpur
(c) New York (d) Delhi

219. In terms of size, Saturn ranks no. ___ in our 231. Bandipur National Park is in which state?
Solar System. (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Rajasthan
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) Karnataka (d) Chhattisgarh
(c) 3 (d) 4 232. Which state in India has the longest coastline?
220. Which of the following continents has the (a)Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu
smallest land area? (c) Maharashtra (d) Gujarat
(a) Antarctica (b) Australia 233. London is the Capital City of -
(c) North America (d) South America (a)Philippines (b)Maldives
221. The Yellow river passes through which (c) Spain (d) United Kingdom
country? 234. Sunderbans Tiger Reserve is in which state?
(a) Russia (b) China (a) Odisha (b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) USA (d) Australia (c) Assam (d) West Bengal
222. Capital City of Myanmar is _________. 235. What is the approximate circumference of
(a) Naypyidaw (b) Yangon earth?
(c) Rangoon (d) Thimphu (a) 40,000 Km (b) 60,000 Km
223. What is the capital of Argentina? (c) 80,000 Km (d) 1,00,000 Km
(a) Buenos Aires (b) Copenhagen 236. In terms of size, Mars ranks no. ___ in our Solar
(c) Vienna (d) Ottawa System.
224. The Lena river passes through which country? (a) 5 (b) 6
(a) China (b) USA (c) 7 (d) 8
(c) Russia (d) Brazil 237. Which is the coldest planet?
225. Mars is the _______ planet from the Sun. (a) Uranus (b) Venus
(a) 2nd (b) 4th (c) Neptune (d) Jupiter
(c) 6th (d) 8th 238. What is the capital of Austria?
226. Which city is located on the banks of the river (a) Buenos Aires (b) Rome
Alaknanda? (c) Vienna (d) Dublin
(a) Badrinath (b) Ayodhya 239. Earth revolves around Sun. Who was the 1st
(c) Allahabad (d) Lucknow one to present this theory?
227. The highest number of tube wells is found in (a) Albert Einstein (b) Galile
which one of the following countries? (c) Copernicus (d) Newton
(a)India (b)Saudi Arabia 240. The path of a projectile is called its ______.
(c) America (d) China (a) Altitude (b) Range
228. The soil found in the Eastern and Western (c) Trajectory (d) Flight
coasts of India is _____. 241. Which park also shares its boundaries with
(a)Red Rocky (b)Laterite Bangladesh?
(c) Black Cotton (d) Alluvial (a) Sundarbans National Park
229. Equal day/night in both hemispheres is on (b) Kaziranga National Park
________. (c) Kanchendzonga National Park
(a) 21st June and 21st March (d) Panna National Park
(b) 5th July and 21st September 242. In terms of size, Neptune ranks no. ___ in our
(c) 21st March and 23rd September Solar System.
(d) 5th June and 21st September (a) 1 (b) 2
230. Prague is the Capital City of _____. (c) 3 (d) 4
(a) Saudi Arabia 243. Abu Dhabi is the Capital City of _____.
(b) North Korea (a) United Arab Emirates
(c) Czech Republic (b) Netherlands
(d) Trinidad and Tobago (c) South Korea
(d) Italy

244. Which planet has the maximum number of 257. Earth's deepest point in water is Mariana trench.
satellites? It is located in which of the following oceans?
(a) Jupiter (b) Earth (a) Atlantic Ocean (b) Arctic Ocean
(c) Neptune (d) Saturn (c) Indian Ocean (d) Pacific Ocean
245. What is the capital of Norway? 258.Masai is a tribe of which of the following
(a) Buenos Aires (b) Rome country?
(c) Ottawa (d) Oslo (a) Kenya (b) Germany
246. The Great Himalayan National Park is in which (c) Australia (d) India
state? 259. The uppermost layer over the earth's surface is
called the ______.
(a) Jammu & Kashmir (b) Arunachal Pradesh
(a) Mantle (b) Core
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Sikkim
(c) Crust (d) Exosphere
247. Mercury is the _______ planet from the Sun.
260. Bhutan does not share its border with which
(a) 1st (b) 3rd
Indian state?
(c) 5th (d) 7th
(a) West Bengal (b) Sikkim
248. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is in which state?
(c) Meghalaya (d) Arunachal Pradesh
(a) Karnataka (b) Uttar Pradesh
261. In India, the Air (Prevention and Control of
(c) Chhattisgarh (d) West Benga Pollution) Act came into force in 1981, but was
249. "Ganga Sagar Mela" fair is held in which state? amended in ________ to include noise as an air
(a) Uttarakhand (b) Uttar Pradesh pollutant.
(c) West Bengal (d) Maharashtra (a) 1987 (b) 1997
250. Which of the following is a renewable source of (c) 2007 (d) 2017
energy? 262. The Indian State of Sikkim does not share a
(a) Coal (b) Petroleum border with which neighbouring country?
(c) Wind energy (d) Natural Gas (a) Nepal (b) Bangladesh
251. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is in which state? (c) Bhutan (d) China
(a) Orissa (b) Maharashtra 263. Which Indian state is the largest in terms of the
(c) Gujarat (d) Karnataka total area covered?
252. Khangchendzonga National Park, also known (a) Maharashtra (b) Madhya Pradesh
as Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, is located (c) Rajasthan (d) Tamil Nadu
in ________. 264. Which among the following neighbouring
(a) West Bengal (b) Assam country of India is the largest producer of
Opium in the World?
(c) Sikkim (d) Meghalaya
(a) Pakistan (b) Afghanistan
253. Shimla is the capital of which Indian State?
(c) Sri Lanka (d) Maldives
(a) Chhattisgarh (b) Goa
265. With which country India exchanged its border
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Jharkhand
maps?
254. What is the capital of Denmark?
(a) China (b) Sri Lanka
(a) Copenhagen (b) Stockholm
(c) Pakistan (d) Bangladesh
(c) Vienna (d) Oslo
266. Marble comes under which category of rocks?
255. Which planet is considered as the Dwarf planet? (a) Sedimentary (b) Igneous
(a) Earth (b) Jupiter (c) Metamorphic (d) None of these
(c) Pluto (d) Saturn 267. With which of its neighbouring country India
256. Sandstone is which type of rock? has Kalapani territorial dispute?
(a) Calcareous Rock (b) Igneous Rock (a) Nepal (b) Bangladesh
(c) Metamorphic Rock (d) Sedimentary Rock (c) Pakistan (d) Sri Lanka

268. Amazon river flows through which of the 279. The latitude which passes through Sikkim also
following country? passes through _____.
(a) USA (b) France (a) Punjab (b) Rajasthan
(c) Brazil (d) Canada (c) Uttarakhand (d) Himachal Pradesh
269. What is the other name of Sahyadri Range? 280. Which among the following is the major cause
(a) Lesser Himalayas (b) Shivaliks of acid rain?
(c) Western Ghats (d) Eastern Ghats (a) Carbon dioxide (b) Carbon monoxide
270. In which city is the Forest Research Institute of (c) Nitrogen dioxide (d) Oxygen
India located? 281. Which of the following country doesn't matches
(a) New Delhi (b) Hyderabad to its famous tourist place?
(c) Dehradun (d) Shimla (a) China – Great Wall of China
271. India has longest international border with (b) Bhutan – Paro Taktsang
which country? (c) Nepal – Pashupatinath Temple
(a) Bhutan (b) Nepal (d) Sri Lanka – Padmanabhaswamy Temple
(c) Bangladesh (d) Pakistan 282. Which of the following region is covered by
272. Which of the following is the most abundant tropical evergreen forest?
metal on Earth's crust? (a) Eastern Ghat (b) Vindhyanchal
(a) Magnesium (b) Iron (c) Aravalli (d) Western Ghat
(c) Copper (d) Aluminium 283. The ﬁnal boundary between the Earth and the
273. Soil having high content of aluminum and iron outer space is called _____.
(a) Magnetosphere (b) Ionosphere
oxide is also known as _____.
(c) Mesopause (d) Magnetopause
(a) meadow soil (b) pedalfer soil
284. Which neighbouring country of India is also
(c) chernozen soil (d) podzol soil
reffered as 'Druk Yul'?
274. Red rot is a disease caused to which of the
(a) Myanmar (b) Maldives
following plant?
(c) Bhutan (d) Afghanistan
(a) Paddy (b) Sugarcane
285. 49th Parallel is the boundary line between
(c) Mustard (d) Wheat
which two countries?
275. Ozone is an ______ of oxygen.
(a) USA and Canada
(a) Allotrope (b) Isotope
(b) North and South Vietnam
(c) Isobar (d) Isotone
(c) Germany and France
276. Red data book contains data of which of the
(d) Brazil and Chile
following?
286. How does La-Nina affect the Pacific Ocean?
(a) All plant species (b) All animal species
(a) Decreases salinity of ocean
(c) All endangered species (d) All extinct
(b) Cools downs the temperature of water
species (c) Maintains stable temperature of water
277.With which of the following country, India has a (d) Increases salinity of ocean
land dispute near Tawang? 287. Which of the following country is not a member
(a) Pakistan (b) China of SAARC?
(c) Afghanistan (d) Bangladesh (a) Nepal (b) Maldives
278. Strait of Malacca separates which two land (c) China (d) Afghanistan
masses? 288. Himalayan mountain range falls under which
(a) Malay Peninsula and Indonesian Island of type of mountains?
Sumatra (a) Block Mountain
(b) Africa and Europe (b) Residual Mountain
(c) India and Sri Lanka (c) Accumulated Mountain
(d) North America and South America (d) Fold Mountain

289. 'Norwesters' are thunder storms which are 4. Bhutan d. Kyat
prominent in _____. (a) 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b (b) 1-b, 2-d, 3-a, 4-c
(a) India and Bhutan (c) 1-c, 2-d, 3-b, 4-a (d) 1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b
(b) Bhutan and Nepal 298. Which of the following planet is also known as
(c) India and Bangladesh 'Earth's twin'?
(d) Bangladesh and Myanmar (a) Mercury (b) Venus
290. Kyoto Protocol's (an international treaty to (c) Jupiter (d) Saturn
reduce greenhouse gas emissions) first meeting 299. Which of the following imaginary lines join
was held at which country? places with same level of rainfalls?
(a) USA (b) Germany (a) Contour lines (b) Isobaths lines
(c) Isohyets lines (d) Isobar lines
(c) Japan (d) Switzerland
300. How many Indian states share their boundaries
291. Alps mountain range is located in which
with Nepal?
continent?
(a) 3 (b) 4
(a) Europe (b) North America
(c) 8 (d) 5
(c) South America (d) Africa
301. Which Indian state has the largest share of the
292. What is the full form of ITCZ?
Wastelands in India?
(a) Inter tropical converter zone
(a) Gujarat (b) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Inter tropical convergence zone (c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Rajasthan
(c) Inter tropical centre zone 302. Which is the highest peak in Andaman and
(d) None of these Nicobar islands?
293. With which neighbouring country of India, (a) Mount Koya (b) Mount Diavolo
Kaladan multi-modal transport project has been (c) Saddle Peak (d) Mount Thuiller
undertaken? 303. Which of the following neighbouring country of
(a) China (b) Nepal India is not a landlocked country?
(c) Bhutan (d) Myanmar (a) Nepal (b) Myanmar
294. The boundary between Earth's crust and mantle (c) Bhutan (d) Afghanistan
is _____. 304. Which type of forests majorly comprises of
(a) Moho discontinuity lichens and mosses?
(b) Lehman discontinuity (a) Taiga forests (b) Tundra forests
(c) Conrad discontinuity (c) Temperate mixed forests (d) Tropical ever
(d) Gutenberg discontinuity green forests
295. Doldrums pressure belts lies in between which 305. Which of the following has maximum diurnal
of the following latitudes? temperature difference?
(a) 5 degree N to 5 degree S (a) Desert (b) Mountains
(b) 35 degree to 60 degree N and S (b) Plateau (d) Ocean
(c) 25 degree to 35 degree N and S 306. Which of the following state receives rainfall
due to western disturbances?
(d) 35 degree to 45degree N and S
(a) Punjab (b) West Bengal
296. What is full form of BOD?
(c) Kerala (d) Gujarat
(a) Biological Oxygen Deficit
307. Why does Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
(b) Biological Oxygen Difference
both receive suﬀicient rainfall but Deccan
(c) Biological Oxygen Demand
Plateau receives scanty rainfall?
(d) Biological Oxygen Distribution
(a) It is a rain shadow area
297. Match the following.
(b) It is located parallel to wind direction
Country Currency
(c) It is away from the coast
1. Bangladesh a. Ngultrum
(d) Rain bearing clouds are absent
2. Myanmar b. Rufiyaa
3. Maldives c. Taka

308. Which of the following is NOT a primary green 318. The Earth rotates around its axis from
house gas in the earth's atmosphere? (a) North to South (b) South to North
(a) Methane (b) Ozone (c) East to West (d) West to East
(c) Nitrous oxide (d) Hydrogen 319. The last stage in the life cycle of a star is
309. Which type of forest is most widespread in (a) Black Hole (b) Supernova
India? (c) Red Giant (d) White Dwarf
(a) Tropical Evergreen Forests 320. Space between Earth and Moon is known as
(b) Tropical Deciduous Forests (a) Cislunar (b) Fulalunar
(c) Montane Forests (c) Nebula (d) None of these
(d) Mangrove Forests 321. Our solar system is located in which Galaxy?
310. The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj (a)Peroxima Centauri (b)Alpha Centauri
and Kali rivers is known as ____________. (c)Milky Way (d) Andromeda
(a) Punjab Himalaya (b) Nepal Himalayas 322. Which of the following stars is known as Fossil
(c) Kumaon Himalayas (d) Assam Himalayas star?
311. Which railway station is used for immigration (a) Protostar (b) Dog Star
and customs of passengers who travel on the (c) Red Giant (d) White Dwarf
Thar Express between Pakistan and India? 323. Which planet is surrounded by ring?
(a) Jalal Marri (b) Zero Point (a) Saturn (b) Mars
(c) Lal Pir (d) Gujar Garhi (c) Venus (d) Earth
312. How many states does India have as of June 324. On which planet would one witness sunrise in
2017?
the west?
(a) 26 (b) 27
(a) Jupiter (b) Venus
(c) 28 (d) 29
(c) Saturn (d) Mercury
313. The northern plain of India has been formed by
325. Which one of the following is not a
the interplay of the three major river systems,
metamorphic rock?
namely– the Indus, the Ganga and the
(a) Geneiss (b) Conglomerate
___________.
(c) Quartzite (d) Schist
(a) Brahmaputra (b) Krishna
326. Which one of the following is a temperate
(c) Kaveri (d) Mahanadi
desert?
314. Which country is not a member of Bay of Bengal
(a) Arabian desert (b) Atacama desert
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and
(c) Kalahari desert (d) Patagonian desert
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)?
327. The deepest lake of the world is
(a) Thailand (b) Myanmar
(a) Baikal (b) Crater
(c) India (d) Pakistan
(c) Nyasa (d) Tanganyika
315. The group of stars arrangedin a definite pattern
328. Which one of the following is an example of a
is called
block mountain?
(a) Milky way (b) Constellation
(a) Aravalli (b) Andes
(b) Andromeda (c) Solar system
316. Which planet takes the longest time to go (c) Vosges Mountain (d) Caucasus
around the sun? 329. The biggest island of the Indian Ocean is
(a)Earth (b) Jupiter (a) Maldives (b) Madagascar
(c) Uranus (d) Neptune (c) Lakshadweep (d) Sumatra
317. The Earth is at maximum distance from the sun 330. Which one of the following ocean currents is
on different from others?
(a) January 3rd (b) December 22nd (a) Gulf stream (b) Kuroshivo
(c) September 22nd (d) July 4th (c) North Atlantic Drift (d) Labrador

331. In which of the following eras the earth was 342. U-shaped valley develops in
nearly covered with snow and ice? (a) Karst region (b) Glacial region
(a) Cretaceous Era (b) Pliocene Era (c) Desert region (d) All of these
(c) Pleistocene Era (d) Tertiary Era 343. Which of the following land forms is not formed
332. Ox-bow lake is a feature formed by by wind action?
(a) River erosion in youthful stage (a) Stone Lattice (b) Mushroom or Gara
(b) Transportation action of the river (c) Sand Bars (d) Inselberg
(c) River erosion in mature stage 344. Coral reef extending along with eastern coast of
(d) Deposition in old stage of a river Australia is
333. Which one of the following local winds is (a) Fringing reef (b) Barrier reef
different from the other three? (c) Atoll (d) Coral island
(a) Khamsin (b) Foehn 345. Among oceanic trenches the deepest trench is
(c) Sirocco (d) Mistral (a) Kurile trench (b) Japan trench
334. Which one of the following is not a tropical (c) Mariana trench (d) Tonga trench
desert? 346. Jet stream is
(a) Atacama (b) Arabia (a) Fast blowing westerlies in upper part of
(c) Gobi (d) Kalahari Troposphere.
335. A hot local wind blowing in Sahara desert is (b) Ocean current
known as (c) Monsoon winds
(a) Haboob (b) Karaburan (d) None of these
347. Tropical cyclones in Australia are called
(c) Jooran (d) Harmattan
(a) Willy willy (b) Hurricanes
336. Break up of Gondwana land mass started
(c) Easterly waves (d) Typhoon
during the period of
348. Which of the following rocks is not likely to
(a) Permian (b) Jurassic
contain fossils?
(c) Cretaceous (d) Triassic
(a) Conglomerate (b) Granite
337. Tsunamis are mainly produced by
(c) Shale (d) Sandstone
(a) Subaerial earthquakes
349. Which layer of atmosphere is vital for
(b) Submarine earthquakes
telecommunications?
(c) Cyclones
(a) Troposphere (b) Thermosphere
(d) Tides
(c) Stratosphere (d) Ionosphere
338. Bhabar is an example of
350. Which of the following countries is the largest
(a) Peneplain (b) Piedmont plain
producer of diamond?
(c) Till plain (d) Deltaic plain
(a) Australia (b) Venezuela
337. Where is the Blind valley found?
(c) Russia (d) Botswana
(a) River valley region (b) Arid region
351. The Ruhr basin is the famous industrial region
(c) Karst region (d) Glacier region of
340. During volcanic eruption deposition of lava in (a) China (b) Japan
anticlines and synclines of folded mountains (c) Germany (d) United Kingdom
accounts for formation of 352. In an area with annual rainfall of more than 200
(a) Phacolith (b) Lopolith cm and sloping hills which crop will be ideal?
(c) Batholith (d) Lacolith (a) Jute (b) Cotton
341. Which one of the following is a warm ocean (c) Maize (d) Tea
current? 353.Monoculture is a distinct characteristic of
(a)East Australian current (a) Commercial grain farming
(b)West Australian current (b) Shifting cultivation
(c)Benguela current (c) Subsistence farming
(d)Peru current (d) Organic farming

354. Kimberley is famous for 366. The Yellow stone National Park is located in
(a) Gold Mining (b)Diamond mining (a) Canada (b) Brazil
(c) Steel industry (d)Automobile industry (c) U.S.A. (d) France
355. The country at the top in terms of percentage of 367. Which type of soil is found in the coniferous
total coffee production in the world is forests?
(a) Colombia (b) Brazil (a) Chestnut (b) Podzol
(c) India (d) Ethiopia (c) Chernozem (d) Regur
356. Which one of the following is located in South 368. Ebony and Mahogany trees are associated with
Africa? (a) Coniferous forests
(a) Veld (b) Pampas (b) Deciduous forests
(c) Downs (d) Steppes (c) Tropical Monsoon forests
357. The Death Valley in South California, USA is an (d)Tropical Evergreen forest
example of 369. Which one of the following mountains is not
(a) Anticlinal valley (b) Synclinal valley built during the Tertiary period?
(c) Antecedent valley (d) Rift valley (a) Rocky Mountain (b) Atlas Mountain
358. Which of the following seas has the highest (c) Andes Mountain (d) Aravalli Mountain
salinity? 370. Gaza strip lies along the coast of
(a) Caspian sea (b) Mediterranean sea (a) Dead sea (b) Mediterranean sea
(c) Red sea (d) Dead sea (c) Persian sea (d) Red sea
359. 90° E Ridge lies in 371. The Kiel canal connects
(a) Atlantic ocean
(a) Caribbean sea and Pacific Ocean
(b) Indian ocean
(b) Bering sea and Chukchi sea
(c) Pacific ocean
(c) Red sea and Mediterranean sea
(d) Mediterranean ocean
(d) Baltic sea and North sea
360. The clouds of the highest altitude are
372. Foehn is a local wind of
(a) Altocumulus (b) Altostratus
(a) China (b) Japan
(c) Cumulus (d) Cirrostratus
(c) Korea (d) Switzerland
361. The Black Mountains are located in
373. The Great Barrier Reef is located on the coast of
(a) Canada (b) Norway
(a) Central Australia (b) West Australia
(c) Switzerland (d) U.S.A.
(c) East Australia (d) South Australia
362. The driest area of the Earth is
374. Which one of the following volcanoes is called
(a) Arabian desert (b) Atacama desert
the Light House of the Mediterranean?
(c) Gobi desert (d) Thar desert
(a) Etna (b) Vesuvius
363. Which river of Africa crosses the Tropic of
(c) Kilimanjaro (d) Stromboli
Capricorn twice?
375. Africa’s highest mountain peak Mt. Kilimanjaro
(a) Congo (b) Limpopo
lies in
(c) Niger (d) Zambezi
(a) Kenya (b) Malawi
364. The Groups of people inhabiting Asiatic Tundra
(c) Tanzania (d) Zambia
is known as
(a) Vedda (b) Kirghiz 376. The coldest place on the earth is
(c) Samoyed (d) Guacho (a) Halifax (b) Chicago
365. The temperature increase is more marked in (c) Siachin (d) Verkhoyansk
northern Pacific Ocean as an influence of 377. The wide treeless grassy plains in South
Kuroshivo current in - America are called
(a) Summer (b) Winter (a) Selvas (b) Pampas
(c) Autumn (d) Spring (c) Prairies (d) Steppes

378. Bushmen tribes are found in 391. An important river of the Indian desert is?
(a) Atacama desert (b) Gobi desert (a) Luni (b) Narmada
(c) Patagonian desert (d) Kalahari desert (c) Tapi (d) Jhelum
379. Doddabetta Peak is located in the 392. The term ‘Regur’ is used for
(a) Anaimalai (b) Mahendragiri (a) Alluvial soil (b) Black soil
(c) Nilgiris (d) Shevaroy (c) Laterite soil (d) Yellow soil
380. The Himalyas are approximately kilometer long 393. Which one of the following soils is suitable for
(a)2000 (b) 2500 cotton production?
(c) 3000 (d) 1500 (a) Regur (b) Red
381. The coast that belongs to Tamilnadu is known (c) Bhangar (d) Khadar
as 394. Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is in the state of
(a) Konkan coast (b) Malabar coast (a) Assam (b) Tamilnadu
(c) Coromandel coast (d) Canara coast (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Kerala
382. Which of the following latitudes passes through 395. The only National Park where Kashmiri stag is
India? found is
(a) Arctic circle (b) Tropic of Capricorn (a) Kanha (b) Dachigam
(c) Tropic of Cancer (d) Equator (c) Manas (d) Nanda devi
383. Nathula Pass is in 396. Tree cover is maximum in
(a) Arunachal Pradesh (b)Nagaland (a) East Deccan (b) Northern Plains
(c)Sikkim (d)Manipur (c) Western ghats (d) Eastern ghats
384. ‘Radcliffe line’ demarcates the boundary
397. Project Tiger was launched in
between
(a) 1973 (b) 1980
(a) India and China
(c) 1982 (d) 1984
(b) India and akistan
398. Which one of the following is the wettest place
(c) India and Afghanistan
in India?
(d) India and Bhutan
(a) Udhagamandalam (b) Mahabaleshwar
385. Which of the following rivers flows from south
(c) Cherrapunji (d) Mawsynram
to north?
399. The mineral oil was first discovered in India
(a) Son (b) Krishna
at
(c) Mahanadi (d) Ganga
(a) Naharkotiya (b) Mumbai
386. Which one of the following rivers in India has
(c) Ankleshwar (d) Digboi
been declared as the National River?
400. ‘Jhum’ is
(a) Ganga (b) Yamuna
(a) A tribe in the North-East of India
(c) Krishna (d) Son
(b) The type of cultivation
387. Which of the following rivers is not the
(c) A Folk dance
tributary of Yamuna?
(a) Chambal (b) Betwa (d) The name of a river
(c) Ken (d) Gandak 401. The solar radiation coming to Earth is called
388. The largest delta of the world is (a) radiant energy (b) insolation
(a) Amazon river delta (b) Congo river delta (c) sunshine (d) terrestrial radiation
(c) Sunderban delta (d) Godavari river delta 402. How does the Sun get its energy?
389. Which one of the following rivers of India does (a) From gravitational pressure
not make a delta? (b) From nuclear fission
(a) Ganga (b) Narmada (c) From nuclear fusion
(c) Mahanadi (d) Kaveri (d) Due to attraction from earth
390. The river also known as Tsangpo in Tibet is 403. Study of the Universe is known as?
(a) Brahmaputra (b) Indus (a) Sociology (b) Cosmology
(c) Sutlej (d) Teesta (c) Universology (d) Petology

404. Diameter of Sun is? 417. Flash floods are associated with
(a) 12 Lakh kms (b) 13 Lakh kms (a) Thunderstorms (b) Cyclonic storms
(c) 14 Lakh kms (d) 15 Lakh kms (c) Tsunami (d) Tornado
405. The Coriolis force is maximum at __? 418. The longest river in Asia is
(a) Mountain peaks (b) Tropics (a) Indus (b) Yangtze
(c) Equator (d) Poles (c) Hwang Ho (d) Ganga
406. The sea bed sloping gradually and bordering 419. The busiest ocean trade route of the world is in
the continent is known as: (a) Atlantic ocean (b) Arctic ocean
(a) Coast (b) Continental Shelf (c) Indian ocean (d) Pacific ocean
(c) Continental Platform(d) Continental Slope 420. Atlas Mountain is in which continent?
407. The term ‘epicentre’ is associated with (a) Africa (b) Europe
(a) Earthquakes (b) Volcanoes (c) Asia (d) Australia
(c) Cyclones (d) Landslides 421. Trade winds blow from the
408. What is the shape of the Earth’s orbit around (a) equatorial low pressure
the sun? (b) polar high pressure
(a) Circular (b) Hyperbolic (c) subtropical high pressure
(c) Elliptical (d) Parabolic (d) subpolar low pressure
409. Naga, Khasi and Garo hills are located in 422. Which of the following is the busiest navigable
(a) Purvanchal Ranges (b) Karakoram Ranges river of the world?
(c) Zaskar Ranges (d) Himalaya Ranges (a) Danube (b) Rhine
410. An important river of the Indian desert is (c) Seine (d) Volga
(a) Luni (b) Narmada 423. The island of Socotra is a part of which of the
(c) Krishna (d) Beas following countries?
411. "Saptarishi" is the Indian name of which (a) Saudi Arabia (b) Oman
Constellation? (c) UAE (d) Yemen
(a) Draco (b) Orion 424. "Titan" is satellite of?
(c) Ursa Minor (d) Ursa Major (a) Saturn (b) Venus
412. Marble is the metamorphosed form of (c) Earth (d) Mercury
(a) shale (b) basalt 425. Which one of the following is a major port on
(c) sandstone (d) limestone the East coast of India?
413. Where was the first iron and steel industry of (a) Kandla (b) Vishakhapatnam
India established? (c) Karikal (d) Puducherry
(a) Bhadravati (b) Bhilai 426. A __________ is a fan shaped tract formed at the
(c) Jamshedpur (d) Burnpur mouth of a river.
414. The highest grade and best quality coal is (a) Estuary (b) Canyon
(a) lignite (b) peat (c) Delta (d) Gorge
(c) bituminous (d) anthracite 427. World’s maximum newsprint comes from–
415. Major iron and Steel industries are located in (a) Tropical Deciduous forest
the plateau of (b) Tropical Evergreen forest
(a) Deccan (b) Malwa (c) Mangrove forest
(c) Telangana (d) Chhotangpur (d) Rainfed forest
416. Which one of the following is the highest 428. In which of the following regions is plantation
gravity dam in the world? agriculture largely practiced?
(a) Beas Dam (b) Nangal Dam (a) Semi-arid (b) Subtropical
(c) Bhakra Dam (d) Hirakud Dam (c) Tropical (d) Temperate

429. Majid Gyre is a feature of which of the 439. The deepest ocean of the world is
following Oceans? (a) Atlantic Ocean (b) Arctic Ocean
(a) Arctic Ocean (b) Atlantic Ocean (c) Indian Ocean (d) Pacific Ocean
(c) Indian Ocean (d) Pacific Ocean 440. Which of the following is an organic rock?
430. Which is correct order of Ocean sizes in (a) Marble (b) Coal
decreasing? (c) Granite (d) Slate
441. In geography ‘Gulf Stream’ refers to
(a) Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean,
(a) a warm ocean current
Pacific Ocean
(b) strong air current
(b) Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,
(c) Streams joining a gulf
Arctic Ocean
(d) the name of a stream
(c) Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, 442. River Indus originates at:
Atlantic Ocean (a) Hindukush range (b) Himalayan range
(d) Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, (c) Karakoram range (d) Kailash range
Arctic Ocean 443. The joint river valley venture of India and
431. The famous Lagoon lake of India is: Nepal is
(a) Dal Lake (b) Chilka Lake (a) Gomati (b) Chambal
(c) Bhimtal Lake (d) Mansarover (c) Damodar (d) Kosi
432. Which foreign country is closest to Andaman 444. Watermelons grow best in
Islands? (a) Alluvial soil (b) Sandy soil
(a) Sri Lanka (b) Myanmar (c) Black soil (d) Laterite soil
(c) Indonesia (d) Pakistan 445. The first biosphere reserve that was set up in
433. Kakrapara Multipurpose project is constructed India in 1986 is
(a) Nanda Devi (b) Nilgiris
on which of the following rivers?
(c) Nokrek (d) Manas
(a) Tapti (b) Narmada
446. Green Revolution was started in
(c) Godavari (d) Krishna
(a) 1960 (b) 1970
434. The largest brackish water lake of India is in the
(c) 1980 (d) 1990
state of 447. India is the largest producer and consumer of
(a) Jammu and Kashmir (b) Maharashtra (a) Paddy (b) Tea
(c) Odisha (d) West Bengal (c) Pulses (d) Sugar
435. Huge deposits of uranium were recently found 448. Black Forests are found in
in (a) France (b) Germany
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Karnataka (c) Czech Republic (d) Romania
(c) Kerala (d) Tamil Nadu 449. The oldest oil field in India is in
436. The tropical grassland is called (a) Haldia (b) Bombay High
(a) Pampas (b) Prairies (c) Neyveli (d) Digboi
(c) Savanna (d) Veld 450. In which State is Hutti gold mine situated?
437. In which State have Indian Railways introduced (a) Maharashtra (b) West Bengal
(c) Orissa (d) Karnataka
“Palace on Wheels” to promote tourism?
451. Jaduguda mines are famous for
(a) Kerala (b) Maharashtra
(a) Iron ore (b) Mica deposits
(c) Rajasthan (d) Punjab
(c) Gold deposits (d) Uranium deposits
438. Which of the following cities in India is
452. Kharif crops are sown
considered cleanest according to Swachh Bharat
(a) A the beginning of the South-West monsoon
Abhiyan Survey 2017? (b) At the end of the South West monsoon
(a) Bengaluru (b) Mysore (c) At the beginning of the North-East monsoon
(c) Chandigarh (d) Indore (d) At the end of North-East monsoon

453. Marble is the metamorphosed form of 465. Which is the hottest planet in the Solar System?
(a) Shale (b) Basalt (a) Jupiter (b) Saturn
(c) Sandstone (d) Limestone (c) Venus (d) Uranus
454. What is the International Date Line? 466. The largest producer of coconut in the world is
(a) It is the equator (a) Brazil (b)India
(b) It is the 0° longitude (c) Indonesia (d) Philippines
(c) It is the 90° east longitude 467. The light from the Sun reaches the Earth in
(d) It is the 180° longitude about-
455. Which from the following is a landlocked sea? (a) 8 seconds (b) 8 minutes
(a) Timor Sea (b) Arafura Sea (c) 10 seconds (d) 10 minutes
(c) Greenland Sea (d) Aral Sea 468. The capital of Manipur?
456. The world’s largest island is (a) Imphal (b) Aizawl
(a) New Guinea (b) Madagascar (c) Dispur (d) None of these
(c) Greenland (d) Iceland 469. Kanchenjunga is situated in
(a) Nepal (b) Sikkim
457. The largest freshwater lake in the world is
(c) West Bengal (d) Himachal Pradesh
(a) Lake Victoria (b) Lake Michigan
470. Which one of the following planets has no
(c) Lake Baikal (d) Lake Superior
moon?
458. Which are the main gases present in Sun?
(a) Mars (b) Neptune
(a) Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide
(c) Mercury (d) Pluto
(b) Argon and Helium
471. Which one of the following ports is located on
(c) Hydrogen and Argon
the Eastern coast of India?
(d) Hydrogen and Helium
(a) Kandla (b) Kochi
459. The cyclone that brought devastation in
(c) Marmugao (d) Paradeep
Bangladesh in 2017 is named as
472. In India, Dhariwal and Ludhiana towns are
(a) Shary (b) Sidr
famous for
(c) Wendy (d) Mora
(a) Silk textiles (b) Woolen textiles
460. Which is the most stable ecosystem? (c) Cotton textiles (d) Synthetic textiles
(a) Desert (b) Ocean 473. Which one of the following is a Sedimentary
(c) Mountain (d) Forest Rock?
461. All vital atmospheric processes leading to (a) Granite (b) Charnockite
various climatic and weather conditions take (c) Basalt (d) Arkose
place in the : 474. The longest river of peninsular India is
(a) Stratosphere (b) Troposphere (a) Krishna (b) Kaveri
(c) Ionosphere (d) Exosphere (c) Narmada (d) Godavari
462. Which planet takes the longest time to go 475. In ‘annular’ pattern, rivers flow
around the sun? (a) from West to East (b) from North to South
(a) Earth (b) Jupiter (c) like a ring (d) in transverse
(c) Uranus (d) Neptune direction
463. Neap tides are 476. Which of the following is called “brown paper”?
(a) Strong (b) Weak (a) Jute (b) Cotton
(c) Medium (d) Very strong (c) Rubber (d) Tea
464. About how much of the world’s land area is 477. The largest island in the world is Greenland. It
tropical rainforest? is an integral part of
(a) 2 percent (b) 7 percent (a) Norway (b) North America
(c) 10 percent (d) 15 percent (c) Denmark (d) Canada

478. The “Grand Canyon” is on the river 491. India exports iron ore mainly to
(a) Colorado (b) Columbia (a) Japan (b) Bhutan
(c) Ohio (d) Mississippi (c) Indonesia (d) Russia
479. The Nagarjunasagar dam is constructed on the 492. Sea breeze is formed during
river? (a) Day time (b) Night time
(a) Krishna (b) Chambal (c) Both (d) Seasonal
(c) Kosi (d) Sutlej 493. The ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ is associated with
480. Nathu La, a place where India-China border (a) oil well fires
trade has been resumed after 44 years, is located (b) thermal power station
on the Indian border in
(c) volcanoes and earthquakes
(a) Sikkim (b) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) forest fires
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Jammu and Kashmir
494. Dolomite is a/an
481. The latitude passing through the northern most
(a) Sedimentary rock (b) Plutonic rock
part of India is
(c) Igneous rock (d) Metamorphic rock
(a) 35° N (b) 36° N
495. Taiga means:
(c) 37° N (d) 38° N
(a) Decidious forests (b) Coniferous forests
482. Which hill station’s name means ‘place of the
thunderbolt’? (c) Grass lands (d) Deserts
(a) Gangtok (b) Shillong 496. Natural sources of air pollution are
(c) Aizawl (d) Darjeeling (a) Smoke from vehicles
483. The Victoria Falls are on the river (b) Volcanic eruptions
(a) Niger (b) Congo (c) Dust storm
(c) Zambezi (d) Orange (d) Smoke from burning dry leaves
484. Sunda Trench is in 497. Which one of the following is the largest river in
(a) Indian Ocean (b) Pacific Ocean the world?
(c) Atlantic Ocean (d) Gulf of Mexico (a) Amazon (b) Yangtze-Kiang
485. The wild ass is found in (c) Nile (d) Mississipi-Missouri
(a) Kutch (b) Assam 498. The Civilian Airport of highest altitude is in
(c) Jammu and Kashmir (d) Tamil Nadu (a) Tibet (b) Nepal
486. Project tiger programme was launched in: (c) India (d) China
(a) 1975 (b) 1973 499. Sahara is located in which part of Africa?
(c) 1994 (d) 1971 (a) Eastern (b) Western
487. The Bhilai Steel Plant has been established with
(c) Northern (d) Southern
the assistance of
500. Which is the largest metals trading centre?
(a) U.K. (b) U.S.A
(a) Johannesburg (b) London
(c) Russia (d) Germany
(c) New York (d) Singapore
488. Mariana Trench is found in
(a) Atlantic Ocean (b) Pacific Ocean
(c) Indian Ocean (d) Arctic Ocean
489. Hanging valleys are associated with
(a) winds action (b) glacial action
(c) wave action (d) river action
490. In terms of area, India is the ………. largest
country of the world.
(a) second (b) fourth
(c) sixth (d) seventh

1. (d); A point source of pollution is a single July 7, 1948 by an Act of the Constituent
identifiable source of air, water, thermal, Assembly of India.
noise or light pollution. Oil refinery waste 14. (a); Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless,
water, noise from Jet engine and Air odorless, tasteless, and toxic air pollutant. It
pollution from forest fire are examples of is produced in the incomplete combustion of
point source of pollution. carbon-containing fuels, such as gasoline,
2. (d); Mizoram with 91.5% literacy is the second natural gas, oil, coal, and wood. Breathing
most literate state in India after Kerala with the high concentrations of CO leads to
93.91% literacy reduced oxygen (O2) transport by
3. (c); The Siachen conflict, sometimes referred to hemoglobin.
as the Siachen War, is a military conflict 15. (a); The Great Rann of Kutch is a salt marsh
between India and Pakistan over the located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch
disputed Siachen Glacier region in Kashmir. District of Gujarat, India. It is famous for
4. (b); Tuirial dam is an earthfill and gravity dam. tidal and flats
Prime minister Narendra Modi inaugrated 16. (a); The aphelion is the point in the orbit of an
the 60MW Tuirial hydropower project in object where it is farthest from the Sun.
Aizawal, Mizoram on 16th December 2017. 17. (a); A Western Disturbance is an extratropical
5. (c); A wide inlet of the sea usually concave in storm originating in the Mediterranean
shape, is termed as a Bay. region that brings sudden winter rain to the
6. (d); Punjab has a large number of inundation northwestern parts of the Indian
canals drawing water from Satluj river subcontinent.
7. (a); Sullage is all wastewater generated in 18. (d); About 90% of the ozone in the Earth’s
atmosphere is found in the region called the
kitchen households or office buildings from
Stratosphere. This is the atmospheric layer
streams without fecal contamination, i.e. all
between 16 and 48 kilometers (10 and 30
streams except for the waste water from
miles) above the Earth’s surface.
toilets.
19. (a); The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest
8. (d); Western ghats are continuous chain of
coral reef system. The reef is located in the
mountains that rise abruptly more or less
Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland,
parallel to the coastline of India.
Australia in Pacific Ocean.
9. (c); The biggest estimated reserve of Thorium
20. (a); Kerala has lowest birth rate 14.7, according
are in India.
to the latest official data. Bihar has highest
10. (c); An atmosphere, meaning is a layer of gases
birth rate.
surrounding a planet or other material
21. (b); The SAARC Secretariat is based in
body, that is held in place by the gravity of
Kathmandu, Nepal. It coordinates and
that body. Earth also has its own
monitors implementation of activities,
environment due to gravity.
prepares for and services meetings, and
11. (b); Ionosphere is the layer of atmosphere which
serves as a channel of communication
is composed partly of electrons and positive between the Association and its Member
ions. States as well as other regional
12. (a); The smallest island country in the Indian organisations. SAARC was founded in
Ocean is Maldives. Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
13. (a); Damodar Valley Corporation is a statutory 22. (b); The outermost range of Himalayas is called
body. The corporation came into being on Shiwaliks.

23. (b); Godavari is the longest river of peninsular 36. (d); Molten rock below the surface of the earth is
India. It originates from Triambakeshwar, called Magma.
Nasik (Maharashtra) and covers a total of 37. (c); The ozone layer is a region of Earth's
1465 kilometers during its journey through stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's
states of Chhattisgarh, Telangana and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The depletion in
Andhra Pradesh, before discharging into Ozone layer is caused by
Bay of Bengal. Chlorofluorocarbons.
24. (c); The Rajasthan Atomic Power Station is 38. (c); Sariska National Park and Ranthambore
located at Rawatbhata in the state of National Park are situated in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan, India. Both of them are tiger reserves
25. (d); Thorium causes radioactive pollution along 39. (a); Greenland is the worlds largest island with
the coast of Kerala. an total area of 836,109 sq mi (2,166,086 sq
26. (a); Western Disturbances causes rainfall during km).
winters in the northwestern part of India. 40. (d); Marina Beach in Chennai is the longest
27. (c); Srilanka is separated from India by a narrow natural beach in India
channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and 41. (b); Damodar Valley region is most rich in coal
the Gulf of Mannar. deposits.
28. (a); Western ghats and Eastern ghats meet at 42. (d); Rainfall caused by intense evaporation in
Nilgiri hills. equatorial areas is called Conventional
29. (c); Kaziranga National Park is a national park rainfall
in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the 43. (b); The Nanda Devi National Park, established
state of Assam, India. The sanctuary, which in 1982, is a national park situated around
hosts two-thirds of the world's great one- the peak of Nanda Devi (7816 m) in the state
horned rhinoceroses, is World Heritage Site. of Uttarakhand in northern India.
30. (a); India share 4,096 km long international 44. (b); The Ten Degree Channel is a channel that
border with Bangladesh. India shares separates the Andaman and Nicobar in the
longest border with Bangladesh Bay of Bengal.
31. (c); The Brahmaputra's source is the 45. (c); A dwarf planet is a planetary-mass object
Chemayungdung Glacier, which covers the that is neither a planet nor a natural satellite.
slopes of the Himalayas. Tsangpo is the That is, it is in direct orbit of a star, and is
other name in Tibet for Brahmaputra. massive enough for its gravity to crush it
32. (a); The largest herbarium in India is Indian into a hydrostatically equilibrious shape
Botanical Garden, Kolkata. It consists of (usually a spheroid), but has not cleared the
1000000 number of specimens. neighborhood of other material around its
33. (a); At Barren Island, the only active volcano in orbit. Eris is a dwarf planet.
India is situated in Andaman Islands. Barren 46. (b); Ghatampur Thermal Power Station is an
Island is situated in the Andaman Sea, and upcoming coal-based thermal power plant
lies about 138 km (86 mi) northeast of the located in Ghatampur in Kanpur district,
territory's capital, Port Blair. It is the only Uttar Pradesh.
active Volcano along the chain from 47. (b); Natural Gas is a conventional source of
Sumatra to Myanmar and also the only energy and not a non-conventional source of
active volcano in India. energy.
34. (c); The transfer of minerals from top soil to 48. (c); The layer where the decrease in temperature
subsoil through soil-water is called leaching. with increasing altitude is totally absent is
35. (c); The Kovvada Nuclear Park project is Stratosphere.Temperature rise as one move
proposed to be setup in Andhra Pradesh. upward through the stratosphere.

49. (c); Doab is a term used for tract of land lying 61. (c); Crops that are sown during the southwest
between two rivers. monsoon season are called kharif or
50. (b); Dakshin Gangotri was the first scientific monsoon crops. These crops are sown at the
base station of India situated in Antarctica, beginning of the season around end May to
part of the Indian Antarctic Program. It is an early June and are harvested post the
unmanned station. Dakshin Gangotri was monsoon rains beginning September-
built in 1983 but was buried in ice and October.
abandoned around 1991. 62. (c); Spraying of DDT on crops causes pollution
51. (c); Japan is called the 'Land of the rising sun' of Soil and Water pollution.
because Japan being the Eastern most 63. (c); Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs
country in the world, it has the earliest parallel to the western coast of the Indian
sunrise peninsula, located entirely in India. It is a
52. (c); The ‘Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal' was UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of
constituted to resolve the water sharing the eight "hottest hot-spots" of biological
diversity in the world.
between Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
64. (b); Geothermal energy is the heat from the
and Madhya Pradesh in 6th october 1969.
Earth. It's clean and sustainable. Resources
53. (a); Coimbatore is referred to as the "Manchester
of geothermal energy range from the
of South India" due to its cotton production
shallow ground to hot water and hot rock
and textile industries.
found a few miles beneath the Earth's
54. (c); The beach sands of Kerala are rich in
surface, and down even deeper to the
Thorium.
extremely high temperatures of molten rock
55. (a); Fold mountains are mountains formed from
called magma.
the folding of the earth's crust. Fold
65. (c); The constellation 'Sapta Rishi' is known to
mountains are formed when two plates
Westerners as the Great Bear.
move together (a compressional plate
66. (a); Ecology is the study of the relationships
margin). This can be where two continental between plants, animals, people, and their
plates move towards each other or a environment, and the balances between
continental and an oceanic plate. The these relationships.
Himalayas is the example of Fold 67. (a); Green Revolution impact is mostly felt on
mountains. wheat. The Green Revolution in India refers
56. (b); The Indira Gandhi Canal is the longest canal to a period when agriculture in India
in India and one of the largest irrigation improved due to the adoption of novel
project in the world. Indira Gandhi Canal is methods and technology in agriculture
649 km long and consists of Rajasthan feeder 68. (b); It is an embankment built to prevent the
canal and Rajasthan main canal and runs overflow of a river. It is a ridge of sediment
through 167 km in Punjab and Haryana and deposited naturally alongside a river by
remaining 492 km in Rajasthan. overflowing water.
57. (b); Even after sunset, the air near the Earth's 69. (d); The tides in the sea are primarily due to the
surface continue to receive heat due to gravitational effect of the Moon on the
Terrestrial Radiation. Earth.
58. (a); A landscape which is caused due to the 70. (c); A valley formed by flowing water, is usually
fissure in the earth along which one side has V-shaped. The exact shape will depend on
moved down with reference to the other is the characteristics of the stream flowing
known as Rift Valley. through it.
59. (b); Russia is the leading producer of Asbestos 71. (d); Ambala separates the Ganges river network
60. (d); Coal is the most important raw material for from the Indus river network and is
generation of power in India. surrounded by two rivers.

72. (d); The corona is the outermost part of the sun's 82. (c); The understory is the underlying layer of
atmosphere. The corona is usually hidden vegetation in a forest or wooded area,
by the bright light of the sun's surface especially the trees and shrubs growing
73. (a); The Ring of Fire is a 25,000 mile (40,000 km) between the forest canopy and the forest
horseshoe-shaped area of intense volcanic floor.
and seismic (earthquake) activity that 83. (b); The Great Barrier Reef runs along the coast
follows the edges of the Pacific Ocean. The of Queensland from the Tropical North to
Ring of Fire includes 75% of the world's Bundaberg of Australia.
active volcanoes. 84. (b); Biogas is produced from the anaerobic
74. (c); yardang is a sharp irregular ridge of sand digestion of organic matter, such as manure,
lying in the direction of the prevailing wind MSW, sewage sludge, biodegradable
in exposed desert regions, formed by the wastes, and agricultural slurry, under
wind erosion. anaerobic conditions with the help of
75. (c); The world’s longest and deepest railway microorganism.
tunnel Gotthard Base Tunnel was 85. (a); Baghdad is locate on the bank of Tigris river
inaugurated in Switzerland.The Gotthard 86. (c); The land forms formed by wave erosion is
Base Tunnel is 57-kilometer long and Cave.
connects northern and southern Europe and 87. (c); Taungya forestry is a form of agroforestry
also shortens travel time for many rail system in which short term crops are grown
routes. in the early years of the plantation of a
76. (a); One of the common forms of representing woody perennials species in order to utilize
remote sensing data as information is in the the land, control weeds, reduce
form of thematic maps. establishment costs, generate early income
77. (b); Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity dam across and stimulate the development of the
the Sutlej River and is near the border woody perennials species.
between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in 88. (b); A drainage pattern where a river is joined by
northern India. its tributaries approximately at right angles
78. (c); A shallow body of salt water close to the sea is Trellis Pattern.
but separated from it by a narrow strip of 89. (c); The core of the earth is also known as
land, such as a barrier island, or by a coral Barysphere
reef is called Lagoon. 90. (b); The polar regions are sparsely populated
79. (d); The Daily Weather Map of India is prepared because of unsuitable climatic conditions.
and printed at Pune. 91. (c); Eutrophication is one of the most
80. (a); The Montreal Protocol is an international widespread environmental problems of
treaty on Substances that Deplete the Ozone.
inland waters, and is their unnatural
Monetreal protocol gradually eliminate the
enrichment with two plant nutrients,
production and consumption of ozone
phosphorus and nitrogen. One important
depleting substances to limit their damage
result of lake and reservoir enrichment is
to the earth’s ozone layer. Chlorofluro
increased growth of microscopic floating
carbon is one of the Ozone depleting
plants, algae, and the formation of dense
substance.
mats of larger floating plants such as water
81. (d); The magnetic meridian is an equivalent
hyacinths and Nile cabbage.
imaginary line connecting the magnetic
92. (b); The widest continental shelf in the world
south and north poles. A compass needle
extends 1,210 km off the coast of Siberia,
will be parallel to the magnetic meridian.
Russia, into the Arctic Ocean.

93. (b); The godavari river is the largest river of 105. (b); Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the
south india, it has length of 1465 Kilometers, wild life sanctuaries in the Indian state
it originates from Triambakeshwar in Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was
Maharashtra. declared a national park in 1968. The density
94. (c); Red soil is formed as a result of weathering of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is
of metamorphic and igneous rocks. The red one of the highest known in India.
colour of the soil comes from the high 106. (a); Nainital famously referred to as the 'Lake
percentage of iron content. It is found on District of India'.
eastern and southern part of Deccan plateau. 107. (c); A tsunami or tidal wave, also known as a
95. (c); Carbon di oxide is the green house gas seismic sea wave, is a series of waves in a
having the greatest heat trapping ability. water body caused by the displacement of a
96. (b); Tamil Nadu leads all other Indian states in large volume of water, generally in an ocean
solar power generation. or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic
97. (a); Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet at eruptions and other underwater explosions.
Devaprayag and the joint stream is called
108. (b); Two types of cloud which are Nimbostratus
Ganga. Devaprayag is situated in Tehri
and Cumulonimbus are mainly rain bearing
Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.
clouds
98. (b); Norway is called the land of the midnight
109. (a); Cities arranged from North to South are-
sun because the northern part of the country
Bhubaneshwar-Hyderabad-Chennai-
is located above the arctic circle, where the
Cochin.
sun shines 24 hours a day from Mid-May to
110. (b); The Tehri Dam is one of the highest dam in
Mid-July.
India. It is a multi-purpose rock and earth-
99. (c); The Ganga basin covers 10 states viz.,
fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India.
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal
111. (d); India has the longest international boundary
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar,
of 4,096 Km with Bangladesh.
West Bengal.
100. (d); Firewood is a non-commercial source of 112. (c); Gujarat has the longest coastline of 1214.7
energy. km among all the states.
101. (d); The exosphere is the uppermost layer, 113. (c); Jog falls in Karnataka is located over
where the atmosphere thins out and merges Sharavati river. Jog Falls is situated on the
with interplanetary space. It is located borders of Shimoga and North Kannada
directly above the thermosphere district.
102. (b); Jharkhand has the largest number of host 114. (c); In India, evergreen forests are found on the
trees and ranks first in the country for eastern and western slopes of the Western
production of Lac. Ghats in such states as Tamil Nadu,
103. (c); The Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. And
forests in India are an integral part of the also found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
Deccan Plateauthat is a large triangular Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, West Bengal
plateau, situated in southern India and and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
sandalwood is a special feature of deccan 115. (a); Dolomite is a common rock-forming
plateau mineral. It is a calcium magnesium
104. (d); Tapi river does not form a delta, it form an carbonate with a chemical composition of
estuary. An estuary is a partially enclosed CaMg(CO3)2. It is the primary component
coastal body of brackish water with one or of the sedimentary rock known as dolostone
more rivers or streams flowing into it, and and the metamorphic rock known as
with a free connection to the open sea. dolomitic marble.

116. (a); Java trench is at a depth of 7,725 m and this 126. (b); Arunachal Pradesh has the largest number
trench is the deepest part of Indian Ocean. of orchids in India.
117. (a); In the heart of Asia, there lies a small 127. (d); Corbett is not in the list of World Network
country called Myanmar (formerly known of Biosphere Reserve.
as Burma). It is the country of Golden 128. (d); Tripura is a hilly state in northeast India,
Pagodas and rich Buddhism tradition. bordered on 3 sides by Bangladesh.
118. (c); Intensive farming (also intensive 129. (a); Thailand is the country which is called the
agriculture) is the practice where a lot of land of White Elephants, as it has a large
labor and capital is employed to maximize number of White Elephants and the White
agricultural produce or yields. It is Elephants are the symbol of royal power in
distinguished from traditional agriculture Thailand.
by a high ratio of inputs to land area. 130. (d); Hachure is the short lines used on maps to
119. (b); The west coast of India receive more rainfall shade or to indicate slopes and their degree
from southwest monsoon than the east coast and direction.
because the Western Ghats obstruct the 131. (a); In the Northern Hemisphere, the December
winds. Solstice is the winter solstice and the
120. (a); The Malwa plateau has both West and East shortest day of the year. The December
flowing drainage system. This plateau has solstice is on either December 21 or 22.
two systems of drainage; one towards the 132. (c); Sleet is the Precipitation that falls to earth in
Arabian sea i.e. towards west (The the form of frozen or partially frozen
Narmada, the Tapi and the Mahi), and the raindrops, often when the temperature is
other towards the Bay of Bengal i.e. towards near the freezing point. In other words,
east(Chambal and Betwa, joining the Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain
Yamuna). and snow is called Sleet
121. (a); The thermosphere is the layer of the Earth's 133. (a); Konkan coastal plain of western India, lying
atmosphere directly above the mesosphere. between the Arabian Sea (west) and the
It extends from about 90 km to 1,000 km Western Ghats (east). The plain stretches
above our planet. In thermosphere approximately 330 miles (530 km) from the
temperature can reach up to 4,500 degrees Daman Ganga River north of Mumbai
Fahrenheit. Thus making it the warmest (Bombay) to the Terekhol River between
layer of the atmosphere. Maharashtra and Goa states and Daman and
122. (d); The Nubra River originates from the Siachin Diu union territory in the south.
glacier. The Nubra River is a tributary of the 134. (b); Kaziranga National Park situated in Assam
River Shyok that flows through the Nubra state of India, is a UNESCO world heritage
valley in the northern part of Ladakh and sites of India and known for Great Indian
then joins the Indus River in Skardu, one horned Rhinoceros. Kaziranga also
Pakistan. boasts the highest density of tigers among
123. (a); Norway is called as ‘Land of the midnight the protected areas in the world and was
sun’ declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
124. (c); The range parallels the Vindhya Range to 135. (d); Three crops that contribute maximum to
the north, and these two east-west ranges global food grain production are Wheat,
divide Indian Subcontinent into the Indo- rice, maize.
Gangetic plain of northern India and the 136. (c); Some important effects of Global Warming
Deccan Plateau of the south are rising seas and increased coastal
125. (c); The Dampa Tiger Reserve occupies an area flooding, more destructive hurricanes, more
of 500 sq. km.and it lies in west Mizoram in frequent and intense heat waves, an increase
northeastern India, along the border in extreme weather events, more severe
between India and Bangladesh. droughts, melting ice, destruction of coral
reefs, loss of fertile delta region as for

agriculture. Decreased rate of UNESCO World Heritage Sites list on July
photosynthesis in vegetation is least likely to 17, 2016, becoming the first "Mixed
be an effect of global warming. Heritage" site of India.
137. (b); Thermal power is the biggest contributor of 152. (d); From fossil evidence it appears that life may
electricity generation in India. India had a have existed on Earth as early as 3.5 billion
thermal power generating capacity of years ago.
220570 MW at the end of Apr 2017. 153. (b); NH 44 covers the North-South Corridor of
138. (b); ‘Harmattan’ winds that flow in Africa are NHDP and it is officially listed as running
known as doctor winds as these winds are over 3,745 km (2,327 mi) from Srinagar to
dry and help in reducing the level of Kanyakumari. It is the longest national
humidity. highway in India.
139. (a); Canada has the longest total coastline 154. (a); A dwarf planet is a planetary-mass object
among all of the countries of the world. It ha that is neither a planet nor a natural satellite.
202,080km long coastline. Mars is not a Dwarf planet.
140. (a); The coromandal coast receives maximum 155. (a); Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest
rainfall from retreating monsoon but during national park in India and was established
south-west monsoon it hardly receiver any in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect
rain as it falls in rain shadow area. the endangered Bengal tiger. It is located in
141. (b); When the first rain of Monsoon is observed Nainital district of Uttarakhand.
in India on 1st June at the Konkan coast then
156. (a); Chhattisgarh doesn’t share boundary with
this even is called ‘Burst of Monsoon’.
Tamil Nadu.
142. (a); Summer Solstice is the day when Northern
157. (b); Ganga is the longest river that flows in India,
hemisphere faces the longest day as Sun is
it flows around 2500km.
on tropic of cancer. It is observed on June 21
158. (a); Kanha National park saves rare and almost
every year.
extinct species of Barasingha or swamp deer
143. (a); Bering strait (America) is the closest strait to
159. (b); Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover
the international date line.
of 77,522 sq. km. in terms of area in the
144. (a); The mid continent belt including the
country followed by Arunachal Pradesh
volcanoes of Alpine mountain chain covers
with forest cover of 67,321 sq. km.
Mediterranean sea.
160. (c); June 21 is the longest day in the northern
145. (d); Ganymede is the largest natural satellite of
hemisphere
our solar system. It is a satellite of Jupiter.
161. (a); "Ecology" term is coined by Ernst Haeckel.
146. (c); Venus and Uranus are only planets of our
162. (a); The Bhut jolokia also known as ghost
solar system which revolve in clockwise
pepper, ghost chili, U-morok, red naga, naga
direction.
jolokia and ghost jolokia, is an inter specific
147. (b); The Gravitational pull of moon is about 1/6
times of earth. hybrid chilli pepper cultivated in the Indian
148. (d); Seismic focus is the origin point of states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
earthquake. Nagaland and Manipur.
149. (b); Madhya Pradesh doesn’t share boundary 163. (b); Venus is the hottest planet because it has
with Haryana atmosphere made of carbon dioxide
150. (a); A dwarf planet is a planetary-mass object 164. (b); 22nd December is the shortest day in the
that is neither a planet nor a natural satellite. northern hemisphere.
Pluto is a dwarf planet. 165. (c); Nepali is primarily spoken in Sikkim.
151. (d); Kanchenjunga National Park is a National 166. (d); Dogri is primarily spoken in Jammu and
Park and a Biosphere reserve located in Kashmir.
Sikkim, India. It was inscribed to the 167. (c); Living part of the organisms environment is
known as Biotic factor.

168. (b); Approximately 50% of india population is 185. (b); Gir Forest National Park is a wildlife
employed in Agriculture sector. sanctuary in Gujarat, western India. It was
169. (a); Alpha centauri is the closest star to our solar established to protect Asiatic lions.
system. 186. (b); Global warming, also referred to as climate
170. (c); Mars is known as Red palnet. change, is the observed century-scale rise in
171. (b); Biogeographic classification of India is the the average temperature of the Earth's
division of India according to biogeographic climate system and its related effects.
characteristics. There are ten biogeographic Carbon dioxide is a one of the Green House
zones in India. gas which cause global warming. Carbon
172. (b); Earth rotates around its axis from west to
dioxide is not produced by Global warming.
east.
187. (d); Melghat was declared a tiger reserve and
173. (a); The wettest place is Mawsynram,
was among the first nine tiger reserves
Meghalaya, India, with11,873 mm (467 in) of
notified in 1973-74 under the Project Tiger. It
rain per annum.
is located at in northern part of Amravati
174. (d); A seismometer is an instrument that
District of Maharashtra State in India.
measures motion of the ground, caused by,
for example, an earthquake, a volcanic 188. (c); The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region
eruption, or the use of explosives. of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of
175. (b); The Gir National Park and the Sasan Gir the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Sanctuary of Gujarat are the only wildlife Stratosphere contains high concentrations of
sanctuaries in India that have Asiatic lions. ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the
176. (a); The photosphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere.
solar atmosphere. It is essentially the solar 189. (b); Dhupgarh is the highest peak of Satpura
"surface" that we see when we look at the Range.
Sun in "white".It is the Glowing surface of 190. (b); The Tropic of Cancer divided India into
the sun. almost 2 equal parts. It passes through 8
177. (b); The Sun is directly overhead at "high-noon" Indian States of India – Gujarat, Rajasthan,
on the equator twice per year, at the two MP, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal,
equinoxes. Spring Equinox is usually March Tripura and Mizoram.
20, and Autumnal equinox is usually 191. (b); Sirius is also known as the Dog Star. It is the
September 22. brightest star outside our Solar System.
178. (b); The birth rate is the total number of live 192. (a); Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and
births per 1,000 of a population in a year or
the largest in the Solar System. It is a giant
period.
planet with a mass one-thousandth that of
179. (d); The Geysers is the world's largest
the Sun.
geothermal field, containing a complex of 22
193. (a); Majuli the largest river island of the world is
geothermal power plants, it is located in San
on Brahmaputra river in state of Assam.
Francisco.
194. (c); Pagladia dam is situated in state of Assam.
180. (d); Asia is the largest continent in the world.
181. (c); Red Planet is a nickname for the planet 195. (c); Gir Kesar which recently got GI tag is a
Mars, due to its surface color famous variety of mango.
182. (c); Dr. N E Borlaug is father of Green 196. (d); On the day of the equinox, the center of the
Revolution. Sun spends a roughly equal amount of time
183. (b); Panthera Tigris is the scientific name of above and below the horizon at every
Tiger. location on the Earth, so night and day are
184. (a); Uttarakhand capital is Dehradun. equal on Equinox.

197. (b); Largest union territory is Andaman & 207. (c); Dibrugarh is located on the banks of the
Nicobar island and smallest island is river Brahmaputra.
Lakshadweep 208. (c); Manas National park is situated in the
198. (c); Hawa Mahal is a palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan. foothills of Himalayas in Assam, India and
It is constructed of red and pink sandstone. was designated as a tiger reserve in 1973.
The structure was built in 1799 by Maharaja 209. (b); Marble is a metamorphic rock formed when
Sawai Pratap Singh. limestone is exposed to high temperatures
199. (d); The Pushkar Fair, also called the Pushkar and pressures.
Camel Fair is an annual multi-day livestock 210. (d); Kota is located on the bank of Chambal
fair and cultural fete held in the town of River.
Pushkar in state of Rajasthan, India 211. (a); Lisbon is the capital and the largest city of
200. (b); Kaziranga National Park is a national park Portugal.
in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the 212. (c); Madrid is the capital of Spain. It is the third-
state of Assam, India. The sanctuary, which largest city in the European Union (EU) after
hosts two-thirds of the world's great one- London and Berlin
horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage 213. (a); Madhya Pradesh has highest number of
Site and is the only natural habitat of the tiger reserve in India
endangered One-horned rhinoceroses. 214. (c); Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is an
201. (b); The inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth airport in Leh, Jammu and Kashmir. It is one
and Mars. After an asteroid belt comes the of the highest commercial airports in the
outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and world at 3,256 m (10,682 ft) above mean sea
Neptune. level. It is highest airport in India.
202. (c); Earth is also known as blue plane 215. (d); Canada is the world’s second largest
203. (d); Nagarhole National Park, also known as country, and the United States (fourth
Rajiv Gandhi National Park, is a wildlife largest) share the longest international
reserve in the South Indian state of border between two countries in the world.
Karnataka. Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere 216. (a); Baghdad is the capital of Iraq.
Reserve, the park is backed by the 217. (b); Greenhouse Effect is the warming of earth's
Brahamagiri Mountains and filled with surface due to its atmosphere. The
sandalwood and teak trees. greenhouse effect is a natural process that
204. (d); The Film and Television Institute of India is warms the Earth's surface. When the Sun's
an autonomous institute under the Ministry energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere,
of Information and Broadcasting of the some of it is reflected back to space and the
Government of India and aided by the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by
Central Government of India. It is located at greenhouse gases.
Pune 218. (b); Gorakhpur railway station platform in Uttar
205. (d); Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh. Pradesh (1,366.33 m) is longest Platform in
206. (b); The Great Smog of London, or Great Smog the world.
of 1952 was a severe air-pollution event that 219. (b); In terms of size, Saturn ranks no. two in our
affected the British capital of London in Solar System after Jupiter.
early-December 1952. A period of cold 220. (b); Australia with 2,967,909 square miles
weather, combined with an anticyclone and (7,686,884 square km) total area, is the
windless conditions, collected airborne smallest Continent.
pollutants – mostly arising from the use of 221. (b); Yellow river passes through China.
coal – to form a thick layer of smog over the 222. (a); Capital City of Myanmar is Naypyidaw.
city. 223. (a); Capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires.

224. (c); The Lena is the easternmost of the three of energy for the Solar System. The
great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic temperature of a planet is affected by its
Ocean and it pass through Russia. distance from the Sun. Radiation from the
225. (b); Mars is the 4th planet from sun. Sun is lost to its surroundings as it travels
226. (a); Badrinath is in the Garhwal Himalayas, on through space.
the banks of the Alaknanda River. 238. (c); Vienna, the capital of Austria, plays a
227. (a); India has the highest number of tubewells. double role as city and "Bundesland",
228. (b); Laterite soils in India are found in the meaning that the mayor serves as governor
Eastern Ghat of Orissa, the Southern parts of and the city council as Landtag at the same
Western Ghat, Malabar Coastal plains and time
Ratnagiri of Maharashtra and some part of 239. (c); Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, astronomer who put forth the theory that
Meghalaya, western part of West Bengal. the Sun is at rest near the center of the
229. (c); "Equinox" literally means "equal night", Universe, and that the Earth, spinning on its
giving the impression that the night and day axis once daily, revolves annually around
on the equinox are exactly the same length. the Sun. This is called the heliocentric, or
It takes place twice a year on March 21 and Sun-centered, system. Copernican
September 23. heliocentrism is the name given to the
230. (c); Prague is the capital and largest city in the astronomical model developed by Nicolaus
Czech Republic, the 14th largest city in the Copernicus and published in 1543.
240. (c); Trajectory is the path followed by a
European Union and also the historical
projectile flying or an object moving under
capital of Bohemia.
the action of given forces, a curve or surface
231. (c); Bandipur National Park is located in
cutting a family
Karnataka, South India. Bandipur National
241. (a); The Sundarbans forest is about 10,000 sq km
Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km.
across India and Bangladesh, of which 40%
232. (d); Gujarat forms the longest coastline of all
lies in India, and is home to many rare and
Indian states. The total length of coastline of
globally threatened wildlife species such as
Gujarat is 1214.7 Km.
the estuarine crocodile, royal Bengal tiger,
233. (d); London is the capital and most populous
Water monitor lizard, Gangetic dolphin, and
city of England and the United Kingdom.
olive ridley turtle. The forest in India is
London is situated on bank of river Thames
divided into the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
in the south east of the island of Great and 24 Parganas (South) Forest Division,
Britain. and together with the forest in Bangladesh is
234. (d); Sunderban National Park is a world heritage the only mangrove forest in the world where
site, tiger reserve and biosphere reserve tigers are found.
located in the Sunderban delta of West 242. (d); Neptune is the fourth largest planet.
Bengal in India. Neptune is the last of the planets in our solar
235. (a); The approximate circumference of earth is system. It's more than 30 times as far from
40,000 Km. the sun as Earth is. Neptune is very similar
236. (c); Mars is the 7th largest planet in our solar to Uranus. Its atmosphere is made of
system. Mars is the fourth planet from the hydrogen, helium, and methane. The
Sun and the seventh largest. Mars is also methane gives Neptune the same blue color
referred to as the Red Planet as Uranus.
237. (c); Neptune is the coldest planet within our 243. (a); Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab
Solar System because it is the furthest planet Emirates and is the largest Emirate taking
from the Sun. The Sun is the ultimate source up 80% of the country's landmass.

244. (a); Jupiter has 69 moons with known orbits, of massive enough for its gravity to crush it
which 60 have confirmed orbits and have into a hydrostatically equilibrious shape
thus received permanent designations; of (usually a spheroid), but has not cleared the
these, 51 have been named. neighborhood of other material around its
245. (d); Oslo is the capital and the most populous orbit. The International Astronomical Union
city in Norway. (IAU) currently recognizes five dwarf
246. (c); The Great Himalayan National Park planets: Ceres; Pluto; Haumea; Makemake;
(GHNP), is one of India's national parks, is and Eris.
located in Kullu region in the state of 256. (d); Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed
Himachal Pradesh. The park was of sand-size grains of mineral, rock, or
established in 1984. organic material.
247. (a); Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. 257. (d); The Mariana Trench or Marianas Trench is
Mercury is the smallest and innermost the deepest part of the world's oce It
planet in the Solar System. reaches a maximum-known depth of 10,994
248. (b); The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is a protected metres (36,070 ft). It is in the pacific ocean.
area in Uttar Pradesh that stretches mainly 258. (a); The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group
across the Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich inhabiting southern Kenya and northern
districts and comprises the Dudhwa Tanzania.
National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife 259. (c); A crust is the outermost layer of a Earth.The
Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife crust of the Earth is composed of a great
Sanctuary. It covers an area of 1,284.3 km2. variety of igneous, metamorphic, and
249. (c); Ganga Sagar Mela festival is celebrated at sedimentary rocks. The oceanic crust of the
Sagar which is about 105 km south of Earth is different from its continental crust.
Kolkata where the Ganga and the Bay of
The oceanic crust is 5 km (3 mi) to 10 km (6
Bengal form a nexus. Hence the name
mi) thick and is composed primarily of
Gangasagar Mela.The fair is a six-day fair
basalt, diabase, and gabbro. The continental
held in the month of January and on the day
crust is typically from 30 km (20 mi) to 50 km
of Makar Sankranti
(30 mi) thick, and it is mostly composed of
250. (c); Wind provide renewable source of energy in
less dense rocks than is the oceanic crust.
form of wood.
260. (c); Bhutan is a land locked country. Bordered
251. (d); Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located in
by Indian states- Sikkim in west, Arunachal
Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.
Pradesh in east and West Bengal in south.
252. (c); Kanchenjunga National Park is a National
261. (a); The Air (Prevention and Control of
Park and a Biosphere reserve located in
Pollution) Act 1981 is amended in 1987 to
Sikkim, India. It was inscribed to the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites list on July include noise as an air pollutant. According
17, 2016, becoming the first "Mixed to amendmemt "air pollutant" means any
Heritage" site of India solid, liquid or gaseous substance (including
253. (c); Shimla is the capital of the northern Indian noise) present in the atmosphere in such
state of Himachal Pradesh, it is in the concentration as may be or tend to be
Himalayan foothills. injurious to human beings or other living
254. (a); Copenhagen is the capital and most creatures or plants or property or
populous city of Denmark. environment.
255. (c); A dwarf planet is a planetary-mass object 262. (b); The Indian State of Sikkim share its border
that is neither a planet nor a natural satellite. with three neighbouring countries Bhutan,
That is, it is in direct orbit of a star, and is China (Tibet) and Nepal.

263. (c); Rajasthan is the largest state in India (in 270. (c); The Forest Research Institute (FRI) is an
terms of area). It covers an area of 342, 239 institute of the Indian Council of Forestry
square kilometres. This represents 10.4% of Research and Education and is a premier
the whole India.In terms of area, Rajasthan institution in the field of forestry research in
is followed by Madhya Pradesh (308,245 India. It is located at Dehradun in
square kilometres), Maharashtra (307,713 Uttarakhand, and is one of the oldest
square kilometres), Uttar Pradesh (240,928 institutions of its kind.
square kilometres). 271. (c); India share longest border with Bangladesh
264. (b); Afghanistan has been the world's greatest a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile)-long
illicit opium producer, ahead of Burma international border followed by China
(Myanmar), Thailand & Laos. (3380 km), Pakistan (3323 km), Myanmar
265. (d); India and Bangladesh signed agreement for (1643 km), Nepal(1236 km),Bhutan(699 km)
transfer of enclaves in May 2015. The prime and Afganistan(106 km).
ministers of India and Bangladesh signed 272. (d); Aluminum is the most abundant metal in
the Land Boundary Agreement in 1974 to the earth's crust, it is never found free in
exchange enclaves and simplify their nature. All of the earth's aluminum has
international border maps. combined with other elements to form
266. (c); Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of compounds.
recrystallized carbonate minerals, most 273. (b); Pedalfer is composed of high amount of
commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble may aluminum and iron oxides. It is a
subdivision of the zonal soil order
be foliated.
comprising a large group of soils in which
267. (a); Kalapani is a territory disputed between
sesquioxides increase relative to silica
India and Nepal administered however as
during soil formation. Pedalfers usually
part of Pithoragarh district in the
occur in humid areas
Uttarakhand state of India. It is situated on
274. (b); Red rot is a disease caused to Sugarcane.
the Kailash Manasarovar route, at an
Red rot is one of the major constraints in the
altitude of 3600 meters.
profitable cultivation of sugarcane in many
268. (c); The Amazon River flows in South America
states of India. It is caused by the fungus
is the largest river by discharge volume of
Glomerella tucumanensis
water in the world and the second longest in
275. (a); Ozone(O3) is a very reactive allotrope of
length after Nile.The Amazon and its
oxygen that is destructive to materials like
tributaries flow through the countries of
rubber and fabrics and is also damaging to
Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia,
lung tissue if present in lower atmosphere.
Ecuador, and Brazil before emptying into
But in upper atmosphere Ozone absorbs
the Atlantic Ocean 6,437 kilometers (4,000 ultraviolet and functions as a shield for the
miles) from the Amazon's headwaters high biosphere against damaging effects of solar
in the Andes mountains of Peru. UV radiation.
269. (c); The Western Ghats also known as Sahyadri 276. (c); The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Hills(in Maharashtra) is a 1600 km long (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red
mountain range running all along the west Data List), founded in 1964, is the world's
coast of India. It covers the states of Kerala, most comprehensive inventory of the global
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharastra conservation status of all endangered
and Gujarat. Covering approximately biological species.
1,40,000 sq km, these mountains are home to 277. (b); Tawang Tract situated in Arunanchal
number of endemic plants and animal Pradeh is disputed land between India and
species. China.

278. (a); The Strait of Malacca or Straits of Malacca is together. At these colliding, compressing
a narrow, 550 mile stretch of water between boundaries, rocks and debris are warped
the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian and folded into rocky outcrops, hills,
island of Sumatra. mountains, and entire mountain ranges.
279. (b); The 27 degree North Latitute which passes Himalayan mountain range falls under this
through Sikkim also passes through type of mountain.
Rajasthan. 289. (c); Norwesters or the Kalbaishakhi is a local
280. (c); Acid rain results when sulfur dioxide (SO2) rain fall and thunder storm which occurs in
and nitrogen oxides (NOX) are emitted into India and Bangladesh. Kalbaishakhi occurs,
the atmosphere and transported by wind with increasing frequency, from March till
and air currents. The SO2 and NOX react monsoon establishes over North-East India
with water, oxygen and other chemicals to 290. (c); The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty
form sulfuric and nitric acids. These then which extends the 1992 United Nations
mix with water and other materials before Framework Convention on Climate Change
falling to the ground. (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to
281. (d); Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11,
temple is built in an intricate fusion of the 1997 and entered into force on February 16,
indigenous Kerala style and the Dravidian 2005. There are currently 192 parties
style of architecture. (Canada withdrew effective December 2012)
282. (d); In India, tropical evergreen forests are found to the Protocol.
in the western slopes of the Western Ghats 291. (a); The Alps are the highest and most extensive
in States such as Kerala and Karnataka. mountain range system that lies entirely in
283. (d); The final boundary between the Earth and Europe, stretching approximately 1,200
the outer space is called Magnetopause. kilometres across eight Alpine countries:
284. (c); Bhutan is called Druk Yul - Land of Thunder France, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco,
Dragon. Because of the violent and large Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and
thunderstorms that whip down through the Slovenia.
valleys from the Himalayas, Bhutan is 292. (b); The Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, or
known as the Land of Thunder Dragon. ITCZ, is a belt of low pressure which circles
285. (a); 49th Parallel is the boundary line between the Earth generally near the equator where
United States of America and Canada. the trade winds of the Northern and
286. (b); During a period of La Nina, the sea surface Southern Hemispheres come together. It is
temperature across the equatorial Eastern characterised by convective activity which
Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than generates often vigorous thunderstorms
normal by 3 to 5 °C. Thus it cools downs the over large areas.
temperature of water. 293. (d); The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport
287. (c); The South Asian Association for Regional Project is a project that will connect the
Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with
intergovernmental organization and Sittwe seaport in Rakhine State, Myanmar
geopolitical union of nations in South Asia. by sea. Thus, Kaladan Multimodal transport
Its member states include Afghanistan, project has been undertaken between India
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the and Myanmar.
Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 294. (a); The Mohorovicic Discontinuity, or "Moho,"
288. (d); Fold mountains are created where two or is the boundary between the crust and the
more of Earth’s tectonic plates are pushed mantle.

295. (a); Doldrums, also called equatorial calms, 305. (a); The diurnal temperature range (DTR) is the
equatorial regions of light ocean currents difference between the daily maximum and
and winds within the Intertropical minimum temperature. Desert areas
convergence zone (ITCZ), a belt of typically have the greatest diurnal
converging winds and rising air encircling temperature variations.
Earth near the Equator. The doldrums, 306. (a); Western disturbance refers to a system of
usually located between 5° north and 5° low pressure that moves from west to east,
south of the equator, are also known as the bringing moisture from Eurasian water
Intertropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ. bodies, and is responsible for winter rain in
296. (c); Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD, also
northwestern India and snowfall in the
called biological oxygen demand) is the
Himalayan tracts. It usually brings rain
amount of dissolved oxygen needed (i.e.,
during the winters but also during the pre-
demanded) by aerobic biological organisms
monsoon period. Punjab receives rainfall
to break down organic material present in a
due to western disturbances.
given water sample at certain temperature
307. (a); A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward
over a specific time period.
297. (c); Bangladesh currency is Taka, Myanmar side of a mountainous area (away from the
currency is Burmese Kyat, Maldives wind). Deccan Plateau falls in a rain shadow
currency is Maldivian Rufiyaa and currency area thus it receives scanty rainfall.
of Bhutan is Ngultrum. 308. (d); A greenhouse gas (GHG) is a gas in an
298. (b); Venus is sometimes called Earth's twin atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation
because Venus and Earth are almost the within the thermal infrared range. This
same size, have about the same mass (they process is the fundamental cause of the
weight about the same), and have a very greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse
similar composition (are made of the same gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor,
material). They are also neighboring planets. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and
299. (c); A line drawn on a weather map connecting ozone.
points that receive equal amounts of 309. (b); Tropical Deciduous Forest is most
precipitation (rainfall, snow etc) during a widespread in India (about 65% of total
given period of time is called Isohyets. forest area).
300. (d); Five Indian state share their boundaries 310. (c); Kumaun Himalayas is west-central section
with Nepal. The Indian states that touch the of the Himalayas in northern India,
border with Nepal are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
extending 200 miles (320 km) from the Sutlej
Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim
River to the Kali River
301. (d); Rajasthan has the largest share of wasteland
311. (b); Zero Point railway station is used for
in India with an area of 84,929 sq.km in
immigration and customs of passengers
wasteland.
who travel on the Thar Express between
302. (c); Saddle Peak is the highest point of the
Pakistan and India. It is situated 8 km east of
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
303. (b); Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan are India’s Khokhrapar, Sindh and lies on the Pakistan–
neighbouring landlocked countries. India border. The station was constructed in
Myanmar is not a landlocked country. February 2006.
304. (b); Tundra is a type of biome where the tree 312. (d); India have 29 states on June 2017.
growth is hindered by low temperatures 313. (a); The northern plain of India has been formed
and short growing seasons. In tundra, the by the interplay of three main rivers of the
vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, Northern plains are the Indus, Ganga and
sedges and grasses, mosses, and lichens. Brahmaputra.

314. (d); The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- as a dim glowing band arching across the
Sectoral Technical and Economic night sky in which the naked eye cannot
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international distinguish individual stars.
organisation involving a group of countries 322. (d); White Dwarf is known as Fossil star.
in South Asia and South East Asia. These 323. (a); Saturn is surrounded by ring. Saturn has a
are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, ring around it because it is believed to be
Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The BIMSTEC very big and has lots of moons, meaning it
states are among the countries dependent on has a strong pull of gravity. Another major
the Bay of Bengal. reason is that the asteroids fling into its orbit
315. (b); The group of stars arranged in a and the rings are not solid.
definite pattern is called constellation. 324. (b); The direction of the sunrise depends upon
In modern astronomy, a constellation the direction of the rotation of the earth on
is an internationally defined area of the its axis. Any planet rotation on its axis from
celestial sphere. west to east will experience sunrise in the
316. (d); Neptune takes the longest time to go around east and viceversa. Venus rotates on its axis
the sun. Neptune orbits the Sun at an from east to west and thus experiences
average distance of 4.5 billion km. Like all sunrise in the west.
the planets in the Solar System, Neptune 325. (b); Conglomerate is not a metamorphic rock.
follows an elliptical path around the Sun, Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks
varying its distance to the Sun at different consisting of rounded fragments and are
points along its orbit. thus differentiated from breccias,
317. (d); The Earth becomes maximum distance from 326. (d); Patagonian desert is a temperature desert.
the sun on 4th July. The aphelion is the point The Patagonian Desert, also known as
in the orbit of a planet or comet where it is the Patagonia Desert or the Patagonian
farthest from the Sun. The Earth reaches its Steppe, is the largest desert in
aphelion when the Northern Hemisphere is Argentina and is the 7th largest desert in the
experiencing summer. world by area.
318. (d); The Earth rotates around its axis from west 327. (a); The deepest lake of the world is Baikal. Lake
to east. Earth’s rotation is the rotation of the Baikal is a rift lake in the south of the
solid Earth around its own axis. The Earth Russian region of Siberia.
rotates from the west towards the east. As 328. (c); Vosges mountain is an example of a block
viewed from the North Star or polestar mountain.
Polaris, the Earth turns counter-clockwise. 329. (b); The biggest Island of the Indian ocean is
319. (d); The last stage in the life circle of a star is Madagascar. Madagascar, officially the
white dwarf. Small stars, like the Sun, will Republic of Madagascar and previously
undergo a relatively peaceful and beautiful known as the Malagasy Republic, is
death that sees them pass through a an island country in the Indian Ocean,
planetary nebula phase to become a white off the coast of Southeast Africa
dwarf. 330. (d); Labrador is different from other ocean
320. (a); Space between Earth and Moon is known as currents. It is cold in nature. The Labrador
Cislunar. Pertaining to the space between Current is a cold current in the North
the earth and the orbit of the moon. Atlantic Ocean which flows from the
321. (c); Our solar system is located in Milky Way Arctic Ocean south along the coast of
Galaxy. The Milky Way is the galaxy that Labrador and passes around
contains our Solar System. Its name Newfoundland, continuing south along the
“milky” is derived from its ppearance east coast of Nova Scotia.

331 (c); The earth was nearly covered with snow 342. (b); U-shaped valley develops in the Glacial
and ice in pleistocene Era. The Pleistocene is region. Ice causes friction on the sides of the
the geological epoch which lasted from valley.
about 2,588,000 to11,700 years ago, spanning 343. (c); Sand Bars is not formed by wind action. A
the world’s recent period of repeated long mass or low ridge of submerged or
glaciations. partially exposed sand built up in the water
332. (c); Ox-bow lake is a feature formed by River along a shore or beach by the action of
erosion in mature stage. An ox-bow is a waves or currents.
crescentshaped lake lying alongside a 344. (b); Coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef extending
winding river. The ox-bow lake is created along with eastern coast of Australia.
over time as erosion and deposits of soil 345. (c); Mariana trench is the deepest trench located
change the river’s course. in the pacific ocean near Japan.
333. (d); Mistral the local wind is different from the 346. (a); Jet stream is fast blowing westerlies in upper
others. The mistral is a strong, cold part of troposphere. Jet streams are
and usually dry regional wind in fast flowing, narrow air currents found in
France, coming from the north or the atmospheres of someplanets, including
northwest, which accelerates when it Earth.
passes through the valleys of the Rhone 347. (a); Tropical cyclones in Australia are called
and the Durance Rivers to the coast of the Willy-willy. Willy-willy is a small
Mediterranean around the Camargue windstorm that mostly occurs in dry,
region. outback areas. The termWilly-Willy
334. (c); Gobi is not a tropical desert. It is a temperate is of Aboriginal origin. Willy willies are
desert partly located in northern China and normally tropical cyclones.
partly in Mongolia 348. (b); Fossils are found only in the sedimentary
335. (d); A hot local wind blowing in sahara desert is rocks or the metamorphic rocks made from
known as Harmattan. The Harmattan is a the sedimentaries. Granite is an igneous
dry and dusty West African trade wind rock and hence contains no fossils.
336. (c); During the period of cretaceous era break up 349. (d); The ionosphere makes the radio
of Gondwana land mass started. communications possible by virtue to the
337. (b); Tsunamis are mainly produced by fact that this layer reflects the radio
submarine earthquakes signals backto the earth.
338. (b); Bhabar is an example of piedmont plain. 350. (c); Russia is the largest producer of diamond.
339. (c); The Blind valley is found in the karst region.
In September 2012, Russia officially stated
Karst topography is a geological formation
there are massive diamond reserves under
shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers
the mines containing “trillions of carats”
of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock
(hundreds of thousands of tons) and
such as limestone or dolomite, but also
claimed there are enough diamonds in the
in gypsum.
field to supply global requirements for 3,000
340. (a); During volcanic eruption deposition of lava
years.
in anticlines and synclines of folded
351. (C); The Ruhr basin is the famous Industrial
mountains accounts for formation of
region of Germany. Formerly Germany’s
phacolith.
coal-mining region, the Ruhrgebiet forms
341. (a); East Australian current is a warm ocean
one of the largest conurbations in Europe
current that moves warm water
with 5 million residents and is now known
from the tropical Coral Sea, where
for its diverse and vibrant cultural scene.
it splits from the South
352. (d); In an area with annual rainfall of more than
Equatorial Current, down the east coast
200 cm and sloping hills will be the ideal for
of Australia.
tea plantation.

353. (a); Monoculture is a distinct characteristic of of thin cirrostratus nebulosus. The
commercial grain farming. Monoculture is cloud has a fibrous texture with no
the agricultural practice of producing or halos if it is thicker cirrostratus fibratus.
growing a single crop or plant species over 361. (d); The Black Mountains are located in USA.
a wide area and for a large number of The Black Mountains are a mountain range
consecutive years. in western North Carolina, in the
354. (b); Kimberley is famous for diamond mining. southeastern United States.
The Big Hole, Open Mine or Kimberley 362. (b); The driest area of the earth is Atacama-
Mine is an open-pit and underground mine desert. The Atacama Desert is a plateau in
in Kimberley, South Africa, and claimed to South America, covering a 1,000-kilometre
be the largest hole excavated by hand strip of land on the Pacific coast, west
355. (b); The country at the top in terms of percentage of the Andes mountains. It is the
of total coffee production in the world is driest hot desert in the world.
Brazil. Coffee production in Brazil is 363. (b); Limpopo, River of Africa crosses the tropic
responsible for about a third of all coffee of Capricorn twice. The Limpopo River rises
produced in world making Brazil the in central southern Africa, and flows
world’s largest producer, a position the generally eastwards to the Indian
country has held for the last 150 years Ocean
356. (a); Veld are grasslands located in South Africa. 364. (c); The group of people inhabiting Asiatic
Afrikaans “field” name given to various Tundra is known as Samoyed. The
types of open country in Southern Samoyedic people are those groups that
Africa that is used for pasturage and speak Samoyedic languages,
farmland. 365. (b); The temperature increase is more marked in
357. (d); The Death Valley in South California, USA northern pacific ocean as an
is an example of Rift valley. Death Valley is influence of Kuroshivo current in
a desert valley located in Eastern California. winter.
Situated within the Mojave Desert, it is the 366. (c); The yellow stone National Park is located in
lowest and driest area in North America, USA. Yellow Stone National Park is a
and currently the hottest in the world. national park located primarily in the U.S.
358 (d); Dead sea has the highest salinity. The Dead state of Wyoming, although it also extends
Sea is 306 m (1,004 ft) deep, the deepest into Montana and Idaho.
hypersaline lake in the world. With 34.2% 367. (b); Podzol type of soil is found in the coniferous
salinity (in 2011), it is also one of the world’s forests. In soil science, podzols are the
saltiest bodies of water. typical soils of coniferous, or boreal forests.
359. (b); 90°E Ridge lies in Indian Ocean. The Ninety 368. (d); Ebony and Mahogany trees are associated
East Ridge (also rendered as Ninetyeast with Tropical evergreen forests. Tropical
Ridge, 90E Ridge or 90°E Ridge) is a linear, evergreen forests are usually found in areas
age-progressive seamount chain in the receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall and
Indian Ocean and is named for its near- having a temperature of 15 °C to 30 °C.
parallel strike along the 90th meridian. 369. (d); Aravalli Mountain is not built during the
360. (d); The clouds of the highest altitude are tertiary period. The Aravalli Range literally
Cirrostratus. Cirrostratus cloud is a high, meaning ‘line of peaks’, is a range of
thin, generally uniform stratiform genus- mountains in western India running
type, composed of ice-crystals. It is approximately 800 km in a northeastern
difficult to detect and is capable of direction across Indian states of Gujarat,
forming halos when the cloud takes the form Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.

370. (b); Gaza strip lies along the coast of 380. (b); The Himalayas are approximately 2400 km
mediterranean sea. The Gaza Strip is a self- in length with an average width of about 320
governing entity on the eastern coast of the to 400 km. The Himalayas are the enormous
Mediterranean Sea that borders Egypt on mountain system of Asia. They are the
the southwest and Israel on the east and highest mountain range found in the world.
north. 381 (c); The Coromandel Coast is the southeastern
371. (d); The Kiel canal connects Baltic sea and North
coast of the Indian Subcontinent between
sea. The Kiel Canal, known as the Kaiser-
Kanyakumari and False Divi Point.
WilhelmKanal until 1948, is a 98-kilometre
382. (c); The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the
long canal in the German state of Schleswig-
Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on
Holstein. The canal links the North Sea at
the Earth that marks the most northerly
Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-
Holtenau. position at which the Sun may appear
372. (d); Foehn is a local wind of Switzerland. A directly overhead at its zenith.
foehn is a type of dry, warm, down-slope 383. (c); Nathu La is a mountain pass in the
wind that occurs in the lee (downwind side) Himalayas. It connects the Indian state of
of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow Sikkim with China’s Tibet Autonomous
wind that results from the subsequent Region
adiabatic warming of air that has dropped 384. (b); The Radcliffe Line was published on 17
most of its moisture on windward slopes August 1947 as a boundary demarcation line
(see orographic lift). between India and Pakistan upon the
373. (c); The Great Barrier Reef is located on the coast partition of India.
of East Australia. 385. (a); The Son originates near Amarkantak in
374. (d); Stromboli is called the lighthouse of the Madhya Pradesh, just east of the headwater
Mediterranean. Stromboli is a small island
of the
in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of
Narmada River. It flows from North to
Sicily, containing one of the three active
South. The Son river at 784 kilometres (487
volcanoes in Italy.
mi) long, is one of the largest rivers of India.
375. (c); Africa’s highest mountain peak mt.
Kilimanjaro lies in Tanzania. Its chief tributaries are the Rihand and the
376. (d); The coldest place on the earth is North Koel.
Verkhoyansk. Verkhoyansk is a town in 386. (a); The Ganges is a trans-boundary river of
Verkhoyansky District of the Sakha India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569
Republic, Russia, located on the Yana River mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in
near the Arctic Circle, 675 kilometers from the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows
Yakutsk. south and east through the Gangetic
377. (b); The wide treeless grassy plains in South Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where
America are called Pampas. it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It has been
378. (d); Bushmen tribes are found in Kalahari desert. declared as the National River of India.
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid 387. (d); The Kali Gandaki or Gandaki River is one of
sandy savannah in southern Africa the major rivers of Nepal and a left bank
379. (c); Nilgiri Hills are a range of mountains with tributary of the Ganges in India. It is also
at least 24 peaks above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft)
called Krishna Gandaki in Nepal.
in the Westernmost part of Tamil Nadu state
388. (c); The Sunderban forest lies in the vast delta on
at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala
the Bay of Bengalformed by the super
states in Southern India. They are part of the
confluence of the Padma, Brahmaputra and
larger Western Ghats mountain chain
making up the southwestern edge of the Meghna rivers across southern
Deccan Plateau. Bangladesh.

389. (b); The Narmada is a river in central India 400. (b); Jhum or Jhoom cultivation is a local name
and the fifth longest river in the Indian for slash and burn agriculture practised by
subcontinent. It is the third longest river that the tribal groups in the northeastern states of
flows entirely within India, after the India like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya,
Godavari and the Krishna. It does not form Mizoram and Nagaland and also in the
but form estuary. districts of Bangladesh like Khagrachari and
390. (a); About 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long, the Sylhet.
Brahmaputra is an important river for 401. (b); Insolation is the solar radiation that reaches
irrigation and transportation the earth's surface. It is measured by the
amount of solar energy received per square
391. (a); The Luni is a river of western Rajasthan
centimetre per minute. Insolation affects
state, India. It originates in the Pushkar
temperature. The more the insolation, the
valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer and
higher the temperature.
ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch
402. (c); The Nuclear Fusion Reaction is the basis on
in Gujarat, after travelling a distance of 495
which sun releases light and heat. Inside the
km. It is important river of Indian desert. Sun, this process begins with protons which
392. (b); The term regur is used for black soil. is simply a lone hydrogen nucleus and
393. (a); Black soil is a rich soil that is good for crops through a series of steps, these protons fuse
like cotton. It is found in various places together and are turned into helium. This
around the world. It is most abundantly fusion process occurs inside the core of the
found in western central India. Sun.
394. (a); Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is in the state 403. (b); cosmology is the branch of physics and
of Assam. astrophysics that deals with the study of the
395. (b); Dachigam National Park is located 22 physical origins and evolution of the
kilometers from Srinagar, Jammu and Universe. It also includes the study of the
Kashmir. It covers an area of 141 square nature of the Universe on a large scale.
kilometers. It is only National Park where 404. (c); The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar
Kashmiri Stag is found. System. It is a nearly perfect sphere of hot
396. (c); The Western Ghats or the Sahyadri plasma, with internal convective motion
constitute a mountain range along the that generates a magnetic field via a dynamo
western side of India. It is a UNESCO World process. It’s diameter is around 14lakh kms.
Heritage Site and is one of the eight “hottest 405. (d); The Coriolis effect influences the paths of
moving objects on Earth and is caused by
hotspots” of biological diversity in the
Earth s rotation. Earth surface rotates at
world.
different velocities at different latitudes,
397. (a); Project Tiger was launched by Kailash
objects in motion tend to move right in the
Sankhala in India in 1973. The project aims
Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the
at ensuring a viable population of Bengal
Southern Hemisphere. The Coriolis effect is
Tigers in their natural habitats and also to nonexistent at the equator but increases with
protect them from extinction. latitude, reaching a maximum at the poles.
398. (d); Mawsynram is a village in the East Khasi 406. (b); The term "continental shelf" is used by
Hills district of Meghalaya state in north- geologists generally to mean that part of the
eastern India, 65 kilometers from Shillong. It continental margin which is between the
is the wettest place in India. shoreline and the shelf break or, where there
399. (d); Digboi is a town and a town area committee is no noticeable slope, between the shoreline
in Tinsukia district in the north-eastern part and the point where the depth of the
of the state of Assam, India. Crude oil was superjacent water is approximately between
first discovered in India at Digboi. 100 and 200 metres.

407. (a); The epicenter is the point on the Earth's 416. (c); Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the
surface that is directly above the hypocenter Sutlej River in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
or focus, the point where an earthquake or in northern India. The dam forms the
underground explosion originates. Gobind Sagar reservoir. The dam, located at
408. (c); Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a gorge near the (now submerged) upstream
elliptical, or slightly oval-shaped. This Bhakra village in Bilaspur district of
means there is one point in the orbit where
Himachal Pradesh. The dam, at 741 ft (226
Earth is closest to the Sun, and another
m), is one of the highest gravity dams in the
where Earth is farthest from the Sun.
world
409. (a); Naga, Khasi and Garo hills are located in
417. (a); A flash flood is a rapid flooding of
purvanchal range of North eastern states of
India. geomorphic low-lying areas: washes, rivers,
410. (a); The river Luni is the only natural water dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by
source that drains inside a lake in the desert. heavy rainassociated with a severe
It originates in the Pushkar valley of the thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or
Aravalli Range, near Ajmer and ends in the meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice
marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. sheets or snowfields.
411. (d); The Saptarishi are the seven rishis who are 418. (b); The Yangtze River is the third longest
extolled at many places in the Vedas and worldwide and the longest river in the Asia
Hindu literature. The names of the current with a length of 6,300 km. The other long
Saptarshis are: Kashyapa, Atri, Vasistha,
Asian rivers are the Yellow River of 5,464
Vishvamitra, Gautama Maharishi,
km, River Mekong of 4,909 km and
Jamadagni and Bharadvaja. It is Indian
Brahmaputra and Indus Rivers with a
name of Ursa Major.
length of 2,900 km.
412. (d); Marble is a metamorphic rock that
developed from limestone. Most of the 419. (a); The Atlantic Ocean is the busiest ocean of all
material is calcite (a crystalline form of Oce It connects the South Amrica to North
calcium carbonate, CaCO3) and dolomite. It America (Panama Canal), Africa to Europe
is often used for sculpture, as a building and Europe to Asia (through Gibraltar Strait
material, and for many other purposes. connecting Mediterranean Sea). It is the
413. (c); The iron and steel industry is one of the most trade route between the continents and is
important industries in India. Jamshedpur always full of cargo ships being carried
was the first city where iron and steel around continent
industry of India established by Jamsetji 420. (a); Atlas Mountains, series of mountain ranges
Nusserwanji Tata. in northwestern Africa, running generally
414. (d); The ranks of coal quality are as follows
southwest to northeast to form the geologic
anthracite, bituminous coal, subbituminous
backbone of the countries of the Maghrib
coal, and lignite. Anthracite is a hard, black,
(the western region of the Arab world)—
shiny form of coal that contains virtually no
Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
moisture and very low volatile content.
Because of this, it burns with little or no 421. (c); The surface air that flows from these
smoke and is sold as a “smokeless fuel”. subtropical high-pressure belts toward the
415. (d); Chota Nagpur, plateau in eastern India, in Equator is deflected toward the west in both
northwestern Chhattisgarh and central hemispheres by the Coriolis effect. These
Jharkhand states. The Chota Nagpur area winds blow predominantly from the
has the most valuable concentration of northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and
mineral resources in India. It is famous for from the southeast in the Southern
coal reserve and iron and steel industries. Hemisphere.

422. (b); The Rhine, which flows in Switzerland, 431. (b); Chilika lake is a brackish water lagoon,
Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam
and Netherlands, is the most important and districts of Odisha state on the east coast of
busiest waterway in Europe. Other busy India, at the mouth of the Daya River,
waterways include Seine and Loire rivers of flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an
France, Danube river of eastern Europe and area of over 1,100 km2.
Volga river of Russia. 432. (b); Andaman & Nicobar is a group of islands,
423. (d); socotra, is an archipelago of four islands so for each island in the group, there will be
located in the Arabian Sea, the largest island a country which is close to it. Myanmar is
of which is also known as Socotra. The the most nearest country to Andaman &
territory is part of Yemen. Nicobar following with India, Bangladesh,
424. (a); Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It is the Thailand and Malaysia.
only moon known to have a dense 433. (a); Kakrapara Project is situated on the Tapti
atmosphere, and the only object in space near Kakrapara, 80 km upstream of Surat.
other than Earth where clear evidence of The project is financed by the Gujarat
stable bodies of surface liquid has been Government.
found. 434. (c); The brackish water lagoon or Chilika Lake
425. (b); Visakhapatnam Port is one of 12 major ports of Odisha is largest coastal lagoon in India
in India and the only major port of Andhra which is home to a number of threatened
Pradesh. It is India's second largest port by species of plants and animals. Chilika Lake
volume of cargo handled. It is one of the is the second largest lagoon in the world and
major port of eastern india. largest wintering ground for migratory
426. (c); A delta is a body of sediment deposited at birds, it also supports a unique life of
the mouth of a river or stream where it marine, brackish and freshwater species.
enters an ocean or lake. 435. (a); Huge deposits of natural uranium, which
427. (a); The term deciduous means "falling off at promise to be one of the top 20 of the world's
maturity" in this type of forest trees shed reserves, have been found in the
their leaves at maturity. These forests are Tummalapalle belt in the southern part of
found in many areas worldwide and have the Kadapa basin in Andhra Pradesh.
distinctive ecosystems, understory growth, 436. (c); Tropical Grasslands are located near the
and soil dynamics. World’s maximum equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and
newsprint comes from Deciduous forest. the Tropic of Capricorn. Most of the Tropical
428. (c); The specialized commercial cultivation of Grasslands are found in the interior part of
cash crops on estates or plantations is a very continents between the Tropical Rain
distinctive type of tropical agriculture and is Forests and Tropical Deserts. Tropical
found in many parts of Asia, Africa and Grasslands are also known as ' Savannas'.
tropical and sub-tropical America. 437. (c); With a noble motive to promote tourism in
429. (c); The Indian Ocean consists of one gyre, the Rajasthan, the Rajasthan Tourism
Indian Ocean (Majid) Gyre, which exists Development Corporation along with
mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. It is Indian Railway launched the first Indian
named after Ahmad Bin Majid, the 15th- luxury train Palace on Wheels on 26th
century Arab mariner. January' 1982.
430. (b); The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest 438. (d); Indore is the cleanest city in India according
of Earth's oceanic divisions and the second to Swachh Survekshan 2017 report released
largest is Atlantic Ocean. by the Government.

439. (d); Pacific Ocean ranks number one when it 447. (c); India is the world's largest producer as well
comes to the deepest oceans in the world. It as consumer of pulses. In case of tea, largest
has an average depth of 3,939 meters with producer is China.
the World ocean division area of 169.2 448. (b); The Black Forest is a large forested
million square kilometers. The Mariana mountain range in the state of Baden-
Trench is the deepest area of the Pacific Württemberg in southwestern Germany. It
Ocean which is about 10,911 meters deep in is bounded by the Rhine valley to the west
the Blue Sea. and south.
440. (b); Organic sedimentary rocks form from the 449. (d); Digboi has the distinction of being India's
action of organisms. Examples include oldest continuously producing oilfield.
fossiliferous limestone and coal. Digboi refinery, now a division of Indian Oil
Fossiliferous limestone and coal are two Corporation, had a capacity of about 0.65
examples of organically-formed MMTPA as of 2003. Digboi is now
sedimentary rocks. Headquarter of Assam Oil Division of
441. (a); The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Indian Oil Corporation Limited
Atlantic Ocean current that originates in the 450. (d); Hutti Gold Mines Limited (HGML) is a
Gulf of Mexico and stretches to the tip of company located in the state of Karnataka,
Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of India and engaged in the mining and
the United States and Newfoundland before production of gold.
crossing the Atlantic Ocean. 451. (d); The Jaduguda Mine is a uranium mine in
442. (d); Indus River originates in Tibet in northern
Jaduguda village in the Purbi Singhbhum
slopes of Mount Kailash near lake
district of the Indian state of Jharkhand. It
Mansarovar. Running via Ladakh, it enters
commenced operation in 1967 and was the
into Pakistan through Gilgit-Baltistan and
first uranium mine in India. The deposits at
ends in Arabian Sea near Karachi.
this mine were discovered in 1951.
443. (d); The Joint river venture of India and Nepal is
452. (a); The kharif cropping season is from July –
Kosi Project.
October during beginning of the south-west
444. (b); Watermelon grows best in fertile, well-
monsoon.
draining, sandy loam soils. Most soils
453. (d); Marble is metamorphosed limestone,
benefit from incorporating a few inches of
composed of fairly pure calcite (a crystalline
organic compost before planting, and
form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3). It is
perhaps some fertilizer as well
extensively used for sculpture, as an
445. (b); The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an
building material, and in many other
International Biosphere Reserve in the
applications.
Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills ranges of
454. (d); The IDL is roughly based on the meridian of
South India. It was constituted as first
180° longitude, roughly down the middle of
Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in
the Pacific Ocean, and halfway around the
September 1986 under Man and Biosphere
Programme. world from the Greenwich meridian.
446. (a); Green Revolution Intensive plan of the 455. (d); Aral Sea is a landlocked sea lying between
1960s to increase crop yields in developing Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the middle of
countries by introducing higher-yielding a semi-arid and desert region.
strains of plant and new fertilizers. The 456. (c); Greenland is the world's largest island
scheme began in Mexico in the 1940s, and covering 2,175,597 square kilometers.
was successfully introduced in parts of India 457. (c); Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in
in 1960s. the world.

458. (d); The Sun is a big ball of gas and plasma. Most 466. (c); Indonesia is largest producer of coconut in
of the gas is hydrogen or helium, but there the world.
are also small amounts of other elements 467. (b); It takes sunlight an average of 8 minutes and
such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to the
magnesium and iron. Earth.
459. (b); Cyclone Mora was a tropical cyclone that 468. (a); Manipur is a state in northeastern India,
resulted in one of the worst natural disasters with the city of Imphal as its capital.
in Bangladesh. 469. (b); Kanchenjunga is world’s third highest
460. (b); A stable ecosystem is the ecosystem in mountain, with an elevation of 28,169 feet
which the structure and function remain (8,586 metres). It is situated in the eastern
unaltered over a long period of time. Oceans Himalayas on the border between Sikkim
are considered to be the most stable state, northeastern India, and eastern Nepal,
ecosystem in nature. 46 miles (74 km) north-northwest of
461. (b); The troposphere is the lowest portion of Darjiling, Sikkim
Earth's atmosphere, and is also where nearly 470. (c); Mercury and Venus have no moons.
all weather proceeds takes place. 471. (d); Paradip Port is an artificial, deep-water port
462. (d); Neptune takes the longest time to go around on the East coast of India in Jagatsinghpur
the sun. Neptune orbits the Sun at an district of Odisha. It is situated at confluence
average distance of 4.5 billion km. Like all of the Mahanadi river and the Bay of Bengal
the planets in the Solar System, Neptune 472. (b); Dhariwal is a 5th largest town and a
follows an elliptical path around the Sun, municipal council in Gurdaspur district in
the state of Punjab, India. Dhariwal is most
varying its distance to the Sun at different
famous for its woolen mill and Ludhiana is
points along its orbit.
famous all over India for its woollen
463. (b); During the moon's quarter phases the sun
sweaters and cotton T-shirts.
and moon work at right angles, causing the
473. (d); Arkose is a detrital sedimentary rock,
bulges to cancel each other. The result is a
specifically a type of sandstone containing at
smaller difference between high and low
least 25% feldspar.
tides and is known as a neap tide. Neap tides
474. (d); Godavari, also known as ‘Dakshin Ganga’ –
are especially weak tides. They occur when
the South Ganges, the second longest river
the gravitational forces of the Moon and the
of India after the Ganges, is the longest river
Sun are perpendicular to one another (with
of peninsular India
respect to the Earth).
475. (c); In an annular drainage pattern streams
464. (b); Tropical forests comprise approximately 7
follow a roughly circular or concentric path
percent of the earth's dry land surface (2% of
along a belt of weak rock, resembling in plan
total surface) and sustain over 50 percent of
a ring like pattern.
all species. The Amazon River basin 476. (a); Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that
contains 20% of the world's fresh water. can be spun into coarse, strong threads. Jute
465. (c); Venus is the second planet from the Sun, is in great demand due to its cheapness,
orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. It has the softness, length, lustre and uniformity of its
longest rotation period (243 days) of any fiber. It is called the 'brown paper bag' as it
planet in the Solar System and rotates in the is also used to store rice, wheat, grains, etc.
opposite direction to most other planets. It It is also called the 'golden fiber' due to its
has no natural satellites. Venus is by far the versatile nature.
hottest planet in the Solar System, with a 477. (c); Greenland is an autonomous constituent
mean surface temperature of 735 K (462 °C; country within the Kingdom of Denmark
863 °F), even though Mercury is closer to the between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east
Sun. of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

478. (a); The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon 491. (a); India is the fifth largest exporter of iron ore
carved by the Colorado River in the U.S. in the world. We export about 50 to 60 per
state of Arizona in North America. cent of our total iron ore production to
479. (a); Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was built across the countries like Japan, Korea, European
Krishna river at Nagarjuna Sagar where the countries and lately to Gulf countries. Japan
river forms the boundary between is the biggest buyer of Indian iron ore
Nalgonda District in Telangana and Guntur accounting for about three-fourths of our
district in Andhra Pradesh states in India. total exports.
480. (a); Nathu La is a mountain pass in the 492. (a); During the day, the land surface heats up
Himalayas. It connects the Indian state of faster than the water surface. The air above
Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous the land is warmer than the air above the
Region. ocean. As the warm air over the land is
481. (c); The mainland stretches from Latitude 804' rising, the cooler air over the ocean is
North to 3706' North and from Longitude flowing over the land surface to replace the
6807' East to 97025' East. rising warm air. This is the sea breeze.
482. (d); The name Darjeeling comes from the 493. (c); The Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin
Tibetan words, Dorje (thunderbolt) and of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of
Ling (place or land), meaning the land of the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. It
thunderbolt. is associated with a nearly continuous series
483. (c); Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and
waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi volcanic belts and/or plate movements.
River at the border between Zambia and 494. (a); Dolomite, also known as "dolostone" and
Zimbabwe. "dolomite rock," is a sedimentary rock
484. (a); Sunda Trench is the second deepest trench composed primarily of the mineral
in the Indian Ocean and is located several dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. Dolomite is found
hundred kilometers off of the southern and in sedimentary basins worldwide.
western shores of Indonesia. 495. (b); Taiga also known as boreal forest or snow
485. (a); The wild ass is locally known as ghudkhar forest is a biome characterized by coniferous
and found only in the Little Rann of Kutch forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces
in Gujarat in India. and larches.
486. (b); Project Tiger is a tiger conservation 496. (b); One of the most important natural causes of
programme launched in 1973 by the air pollution is volcanic eruption. Volcanic
Government of India during Prime Minister eruptions can generate so much polluting
Indira Gandhi's tenure. gases and ash into the air that the sun’s rays
487. (c); Bhilai Steel Plant was set up with the help of could be blocked, and land temperature in
the USSR in 1955. the affected area lowered. The ash can cause
488. (b); The Mariana Trench or Marianas Trench is respiratory problems for young children,
the deepest part of the world's oce It is the elderly or those already with respiratory
located in the western Pacific Ocean, an ailments.
average of 200 kilometres (124 mi) to the 497. (a); Amazon is the first largest river and second
east of the Mariana Islands, in the Western longest river in the world.
Pacific East of Philippines. 498. (d); Daocheng Yading Airport (China), which
489. (b); A hanging valley can be formed when the opened in September 2013, is the highest-
lower valley has a greater rate of erosion. altitude airport in the world. It is located at
This can be cause by 2 glacier flows, one an elevation of 4,411m.
feeding the other 499. (c); The Sahara desert is located in the northern
490. (d); India is the seventh largest country on the portion of Africa.
basis of land area of 32,87,263 sq.km. 500. (b); London is the largest metal trading centre.


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ACE SSC GENERAL AWARENESS

A Complete Guide on General Awareness

Some Facts about Solar System

Earth Latitude & Longitude

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International Date Line

Important Parallels of Latitude

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Types of Earth Movements:

Earth’s rotation results in

Revolution of the earth results in

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(a) Earth's Crust:

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Classification on the basis of Periodicity of Eruptions:

Distribution of Volcanoes in the World

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Types of plateau - Tectonic and Volcanic plateau.

ROCKS & MINERALS

The three types of rocks are

Some examples of metamorphic rocks are:

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Pressure Belts of the World

(a) Equatorial Low Pressure Belt:

(b) Sub-tropical High Pressure Belt:

(c) Temperate Low Pressure Belt:

(d) Polar High Pressure Belt:

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The planetary winds are discussed below:

(c) Polar Wind

II. Periodic Winds:

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(b) Land & Sea Breezes:

(c) Mountain & Valley winds:

III. Local Winds

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(a) Continental Shelf

(b) Continental Slope

(c) Continental Rise

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5 Physiograhic Division of India

THE GREAT HIMALAYAS OR THE HIMADRI

Mt Everest (or Sagarmatha or Chomo Langma) 8848 m (in Nepal)

LESSER HIMALAYAS OR THE HIMACHAL

Average height of mountains is 3700 – 4500 m.

Outer Himalayas or The Shiwaliks

Lowest range (average elevation is 900-1200 m).

TRANS – HIMALAYAN ZONE

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PENINSULAR PLATEAU OF INDIA

The Andaman & Nicobar Group

The Arabian Sea Group

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HIMALAYAN RIVERS OF INDIA

THE GANGA SYSTEM

THE BRAHMAPUTRA SYSTEM

RIVERS OF THE PENINSULA IN INDIA

A. EAST FLOWING RIVERS OF INDIA (OR DELTA FORMING RIVERS)

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